On Tuesday, prosecutors have filed 20 new counts of aggravated assault against aspiring musician Rashad Owens, who was accused of drunk-driving and killing four people at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, last month, the Los Angeles Times have said. Owens, who had recorded around 0.03 above the legal blood-alcohol level limit, will reportedly face more charges until his case would reach a grand jury this year. The 21 year-old, who is already facing a murder charge, could get a death penalty if he is found guilty of such charge, the newspaper said.
According to authorities, Owens fled from a DUI checkpoint and drove at high speed through streets, a gas station and barreled through a barricade. The collision struck late-night SXSW festival goers who were just outside the Mohawk nightclub. Witnesses also had told police that they heard the car rev up and accelerate as Owens approach the group of festival goers. Video footage obtained by police should Owens did not turn his brake lights on, and court documents said he did not bother stopping as he had hit people until he went through a park and stopped in a parking lot.
In his attempts to explain his actions to the police, Owens reportedly said that he was already wanted on kidnapping charges, and that the gray 2012 Honda Civic he was driving was stolen earlier on that day.
The tragic hit-and-run had resulted to the deaths of Jamie West, 27, Steven Craenmehr, 35, Sandy Thuy Le, 26, and DeAndre Tatum, 18, and left 20 injured, the LA Times said.
The newspaper said that the new charges filed against Owens were named from the 20 who were injured with his deadly driving spree. According to court files, the 20 complainants suffered concussions, cuts, bruising, a fractured skull with internal bleeding, broken back bones and missing teeth.
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