Each year, countless Californians flock to the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. What started as a music festival has expanded to include a technology showcase that attracts some of best and brightest from Silicon Valley and other parts of California.
Sadly, a group of South by Southwest attendees was injured and two people were killed last night as an alleged drunk driver attempted to flee police. Early reports say that as many as 23 people were injured in the auto accident as the driver plowed his vehicle into a crowd outside of a nightclub.
The city’s police chief had strong words of condemnation for the at-fault driver, who allegedly caused the crash after being pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving and then fleeing. The chief said: “There is only one person responsible for this, someone with no regard for the sanctity of life. Our focus is on gathering evidence and seeking justice for the people who lost their lives.”
The two victims who died were reportedly on a motorized scooter and were the first bystanders to be struck when the sedan driver went through a barricade and traveled in the wrong direction down a one-way street.
It is sometimes hard to fathom how a single person making poor decisions can cause harm to so many in such a short period of time. Yet this is often the reality of drunk driving accidents. Hopefully, the alleged drunk driver will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Victims and their families may also wish to pursue civil lawsuits as well.
Source: The Chicago Tribune, “Car plows into crowd at SXSW music fest, 2 killed,” Mar. 13, 2014