A fourth person has been confirmed dead from injuries sustained from a car crash that occurred earlier this month at the SXSW festival in Austin, where a driver plowed through a crowd barricade outside a music venue.
The Austin Police Department have identified the fourth victim as De’Andre Tatum, 18, of Fort Worth, Texas. According to KXAN, he had been in critical condition and put into a medically induced coma since the crash on March 13th.
Two other victims, Steven Craenmehr, 35, of the Netherlands and Jamie Ranae West, 27, of Austin were pronounced dead at the scene. Sandy Le, of Pass Christian, Mississippi, died several days later at a hospital.
The driver, Rashad Owens, 21, was formally charged two weeks ago with one count of capital murder. Police allege that after being pulled over at a gas station for driving without his headlights on and for making a turn from the wrong lane, Owens fled, driving in the wrong direction up a one-way street and ultimately plowing through a crowd of people.
Police allege Owens hit a moped, a taxi, a van, and other vehicles, as well as pedestrians, before jumping out of his car and running away. A police officer tasered him after he resisted arrest.
The Austin American Statesman reports, according to his arrest affidavit, his blood-alcohol content was .114, over the legal limit of .08.
Bail was set at $3 million. Owens was in Austin to perform at SXSW under his rap moniker, KillingAllBeatz or K.A.B254, according to the Statesman. His brother, Lamar Wilson, said that Owens had been drinking and was unfamiliar with the streets of Austin.
SXSW has set up a fund, SXSW Cares, to assist the victims.
DeAndre Tatum, the 4th victim of the #SXSW crash, passed away as a result of his injuries. His family is in our thoughts and prayers.
— Austin Police Dept (@Austin_Police) March 27, 2014
