According to an arrest affidavit, the driver of a semi-truck involved in the tragic 18-vehicle incident on Interstate 35 was under the influence of central nervous system depressants when he smashed through stalled traffic.
Solomun Weldekeal Araya, 37, is charged with numerous counts of intoxication manslaughter in connection with the Thursday night crash that killed five people, two of them children, and injured 11 others.
According to the arrest affidavit, a detective from the APD’s Impaired Driving Investigation Unit determined that Araya was impaired by CNS depressants, which are known to “slow down signals sent between the brain and the body.”
Officers reported that Araya’s vital signs remained “unusually calm” for someone involved in such a traumatic occurrence. His pulse rate and blood pressure were “on the lower end of normal range,” which detectives deemed odd.
“Normally a person involved in a collision would experience physiological conditions such as an elevated heart rate and increased blood pressure, especially in a collision of this magnitude,” according to the testimony.
The collision happened at 11:21 p.m. in a construction zone where three lanes merged into one. Witnesses said the semi-truck continued for a tenth of a mile, striking many automobiles without stopping down.
The affidavit states that four people died in the same vehicle. First responders described the car as “an unrecognizable crumpled mess.”
Officers detected six out of six probable signs of impairment during horizontal gaze nystagmus testing, as well as a variety of additional markers of intoxication.
While Araya claimed his brakes had failed, commercial vehicle inspectors discovered no mechanical concerns with the truck. According to records, Araya has many past hours-of-service violations as well as hazardous moving penalties when operating commercial vehicles.
The National Transportation Safety Board has initiated a safety inquiry into the tragedy.
Reference: Semi-truck driver in deadly Texas crash involving 18 vehicles was impaired by depressants
