Police in Austin, Texas arrested the suspect Friday after crashing 17 vehicles that killed five people, including children and toddlers.
Solomun Araya, 37, is currently facing a five-count addiction cause and two-count addiction attack, following a massive pileup late Thursday night in the North Austin area. Police said Aya is being held at Travis County Jail.
Austin-Travis County EMS previously said several people were “fixed to the vehicle” following a wreck with a semi-truck, and 12 others were injured. A police spokesman told Fox News Digital that Araya was driving a truck.
“Five patients (3 adults, 1 child and 1 infant) have been declared dead at the scene,” Austin Travis County EMS wrote about X.
Of the 12 injured, three of them were children, officials said.
The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.
The NTSB announced that it had partnered with the Austin Police Department to begin a safety investigation into the wreck on Friday.
“The Research GO Team includes experts on highways, survival and vehicle factors. Human Performance; NTSB posted on X.
NTSB Vice President Alvin Brown will be on-site spokesman.
The southbound I-35 section where the crash occurred appeared to be closed on Friday.
“All lanes on the N IH 35 SB have been shut down and will take place for several hours. The Austin Police Department wrote on X, the Austin Police Department can avoid the area, expect delays, and find alternative routes.
“The incident was incredibly confusing and spread over about 10 miles,” Austin Travis County EMS Captain Christa Steadman told CBS Austin.
“So, without partner collaboration, we wouldn't have managed the scene as we would,” she added.
Alexandra Koch of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
