A 19-year-old faces 5 counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. NBC 5’s Alanna Quillen has the details.
Five people, including at least two children, were killed in a catastrophic crash involving a suspected teenage drunken driver that shut down parts of interstates 35W and 20 in Fort Worth for several hours Monday morning.
According to the Fort Worth Police Department, the driver of a black Camaro was speeding northbound on Interstate 35W when he rear-ended a sedan near the Seminary Drive exit at about 12:30 a.m. The sedan caught fire, and police said five of the occupants of the sedan died in the crash.
It was initially reported the victims included three adults and two children. While the identities of the victims have not yet been confirmed by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office, the ME's office told NBC 5 on Friday that the victims of the crash are believed to be two adults and three children.
"One adult may be identified in the coming days. However, the other four decedents will need to be scientifically identified by DNA testing, which will take several weeks to months to complete," the medical examiner's office said.
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One of the adult victims has been identified to NBC 5 by family members as 48-year-old Willie Gunn. His family said he was in the car with his girlfriend at the time of the crash and that the three other victims in the car were her children. Gunn's family said he leaves behind two children of his own.
"They say that it was hard to know the age of the bodies located in the car," said Daniel Segura with the Fort Worth Police Department. "It's painful."
Police said the driver of the Camaro, identified Monday as 19-year-old Eduardo Gonzalez, suffered serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment before being taken to jail.
"There were signs in the inside of Gonzalez's vehicle that showed evidence of possible alcoholic beverages. Plus officers, as they were interviewing him, they noticed several patterns or several clues that he was probably intoxicated," Segura said. "It is hard to see our community being affected by some of the same issues that arise. Our chief of police mentioned that last week when one of our own sergeants was killed by a drunk driver. We can only do so much. And it creates a heavy pain in everyone's heart."
Gonzalez, police said, is facing five counts of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle and driving while intoxicated. It's unclear if Gonzalez has obtained an attorney to speak on his behalf.
"Not only his life has changed, but he has changed the lives of many others," Segura said.
NBC 5 reached out to Gonzalez's family, and while they did confirm he lived with them, about 15 minutes away from the site of the crash, they didn't want to talk about his background or what happened.
Gonzalez's mugshot, taken hours after the crash, is now public.
WITNESSES TO THE CRASH RECALL SIRENS, FLAMES
Fort Worth police told NBC 5 that witnesses called 911 to report the crash and were being interviewed as part of the investigation. Witnesses told NBC 5 that the flames grew quickly after the crash and could be seen from a distance.
Kyndle Danzey was about to exit Seminary Drive when she saw a car on fire.
"All I heard was sirens," Danzey said. "It was just a lot of sirens and the woosh of the flames ... I also noticed people running towards those flames."
Danzey pulled over and recorded a short video to alert her neighbors and family in South Fort Worth.
"I don't know whose family it is, but check all your people to make sure they're OK," Danzey said about the purpose of her video.
Danzey told NBC 5 that she saw Gonzalez at the crash scene and that he showed little emotion.
"I see no remorse in his face. That's what's sad," Danzey said.
The northbound lanes of I-35W were shut down from Loop 820 to Seminary Drive for several hours. Loop 820/I-20 was also shut down to I-35W, though service roads remained open. After a five-hour investigation of the crash scene, crews towed away the vehicles involved and the roads were reopened at about 5:30 a.m.
In the last few weeks, several tragic crashes have occurred on DFW highways.
On Aug. 10, a family of four was killed in a crash in Grand Prairie when a suspected street racer hit their car. And in the past week, there have been three severe crashes in the stretch of I-35 W between Seminary Drive and Sycamore School Road, all involving suspected drunken drivers.
Along with Monday’s fiery crash that killed five, Fort Worth police Sgt. Billy Randolph lost his life when he was hit while directing traffic at a wreck scene on Aug. 11. On Tuesday, a Fort Worth officer’s car was hit by a suspected drunken driver.
Some in the DFW community have begun calling for more road enforcement action after these crashes, saying something needs to be done to crack down.
"We heard the crash," said witness Jesus Marchant. "I know that it could have been prevented in so many ways."
NBC 5 contacted TXDOT and asked if the agency was planning any new enforcement or traffic controls on the stretch of I-35W where the recent collisions occurred. TXDOT told us those questions should be sent to Fort Worth police. In response, Fort Worth police said the department has been devoting all available resources to combat drunken driving, and the community needed to change its behavior.
"We as a police department do the best we can to promote safety, to promote responsibility, but it takes everyone’s responsibility and hard work to make our community better," said Segura.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing. Anyone with information or video of the crash is asked to contact the Fort Worth Police Department.
