Red River Tragedy

Examining the Red River tragedy: What we know so far and how you can help

Over the past 15 hours, there has been a flurry of information, press conferences, renegade tweets and a lot of speculation about this morning's tragic incident on Red River Street. In an attempt to make sense of the coverage, we've gathered what we are able to confirm, as well as a few ways we can all be proactive in helping our community begin the process of healing.

The suspect: TheAustin Police Department have named 21-year-old Rashad Charjuan Owens as the suspect in today's early morning car crash that left two people dead and two dozen injured.

According to an interview with the Austin American-Statesman, Owens' grandmother told the reporter that he was raised in Killeen, enjoys producing music and has a toddler son. Owens has previously been arrested for misdemeanors in Alaska and Texas.

The suspect was booked around 5 am and will be charged with capital murder and aggravated assault with a vehicle later today. Owens allegedly was driving a stolen gray Honda Civic. According to The Daily Texan, Fort Hood soldier Andrew Barmwell reported the car stolen earlier today.

The victims: At a press conference this morning, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo confirmed that the two deceased included a man from the Netherlands and an Austin woman. Though their identities have not officially been released, MassiveMusic, a music agency with offices in Amsterdam, London, New York, Los Angeles and Shanghai, confirmed that their employee Steven Craenmehr, was the male victim.

In a statement, MassiveMusic wrote, "It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of our close friend and colleague Steven Craenmehr, 35, on March 13th, 2014 at SXSW. During the 8 years that Steven worked for MassiveMusic, we got to know him as an unstoppable force, full of life, love and laughter."

Craenmehr was struck while riding a bicycle; the woman was a passenger on a moped. The driver of the moped was taken to the hospital.

As of this morning, eight of the 25 victims remain in the hospital. Five of the most critical cases are at University Medical Center Brackenridge. Brackenridge Emergency Room Medical Director Dr. Chris Ziebell said most of the victims appeared to be in their twenties. Ziebell also confirmed that the most severe cases included spinal fractures and head injuries.

Update — KVUE has the full list of victims names here. Jamie Ranae West has been identified as the Austin woman who was struck and killed while riding a moped.

The scene: The chase began at the Shell gas station on the southbound I-35 frontage road at 9th Street. Suspecting a DUI, an APD officer signaled for Owens to pull over into the busy (and crowded) Shell parking lot. The Civic stopped before accelerating out of the gas station, forcing the officer to back out of the parking lot and go around the corner. The car then made a right, driving the wrong way down 9th Street. He then made a right onto Red River, barreled through a police barricade forcing an officer to dive out of the way, and drove two blocks while knocking dozens of people down.

Eyewitnesses have reported that the driver appeared to be deliberately trying to hit people, a sentiment Acevedo echoed this morning, repeatedly calling it an "intentional" incident. In an interview with the New York Times, one woman said it looked like people were "flying" as the Civic struck them.

Reaching 11th Street, Owens jumped out of the car and was pursued on foot by both the original officer and the officer who jumped away from the barrier. The suspect was tased by officers, thus ending the pursuit. A warrant was issued to take a sample from Owens to determine his blood alcohol content. Those results are not yet available.

Cheer Up's and Mohawk: Both venues canceled their day shows but Cheer Up's has announced via Facebook that they will re-open tonight for the 4AD showcase beginning at 8 pm. Mohawk will also be open.

How to help: Cheer Up Charlie's and Mohawk have spent the day working with the City of Austin to establish the SXSW Cares Fund. Donations will help people affected by the tragic events and will be disbursed to those most affected through a community-based process. In a statement, Mohawk owner James Moody said, "We have spent today working with SXSW and the city to create a relief fund for the victims. This is our number one priority — their care and support. We are a community here that exists far beyond the 10 days of SXSW. Our intent is to come together to help the families of each and every one of the victims.” For more information, please visit www.sxswcares.com

The Blood Center of Central Texas is in need of blood donations. KVUE has a comprehensive list of donation centers, hours of operation and requirements.

St. David's Episcopal Church is hosting a prayer service tonight at 5:30 pm in their Labyrinth. All are welcome.

If you witnessed the event, have any photos, video or audio, please submit them to the Austin Police Department. For more information, please call 512-974-5186.

If you need help: If you are concerned about a love one, please call the Red Cross at 1-800-928-4271. If you witnessed the accident, the aftermath or just need help in processing today's events, the Red Cross is offering free incident stress support. Please call 512-928-4271 to speak with a mental health counselor.

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Cap Capital

Austin City Council and UT approve grants for I-35 cap projects

Rendering courtesy of the City of Austin via KVUE

The City Council and the University of Texas are working on similar, but separate projects.

On Thursday, December 12, the Austin City Council approved accepting a federal grant of more than $105 million to help create caps over I-35 between Cesar Chavez and Fourth streets, and approved taking out a $41 million loan for part of the project. They tabled $223 million in funding agreements with TxDOT and will discuss those in the spring.

As TxDOT's work to expand Interstate 35 through Central Austin is already underway, several entities are planning to build land plazas over the highway.

On Wednesday, the University of Texas System Board of Regents also approved $106 million for a project near campus. It involves building a series of caps over the highway between 15th Street and Dean Keeton Street to connect the campus with the other side of the interstate. UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife said it is 10 to 12 acres in front of the new medical complex.

"We believe this is so important because even though they won't be constructed for eight to 10 years," Eltife said, "real estate in front of the medical complex will be desperately needed in the future."

Construction on an MD Anderson Cancer Center and UT Austin Hospital at the UT Media Center is set to start in 2026.

"This gives us the opportunity to cap that area to monetize it in terms of creating revenue from future buildings and medical facilities," Eltife said.

TxDOT broke ground on the $4.5 billion I-35 Capital Express Central project in late October. Planned updates include the construction of two carpool lanes between U.S. 290 and State Highway 71, lowering the main lanes from Airport Boulevard to Lady Bird Lake to remove the interstate's upper decks, making room for the cap-and-stitch initiative that will add plazas above the interstate.

The U-T project is separate from the city project, which could create up to 30 acres of new public space in Central Austin between Holly Street and Airport Boulevard. TxDOT will build the foundation of the decks as it expands I-35, while the city will build what's on top.

In design renderings of what the caps could look like, the cap between Fourth and Seventh streets could see an elevated walkway and outdoor dining space. Another design shows a cap between Cesar Chavez and Fourth streets, and the plan includes a "street promenade" and bike path.

Brianna Frey, who is managing the project for the city, said it will bring new parks, shops and entertainment to Central Austin.

"I think the public is interested in seeing some of those benefits too as it relates to either their business districts or their neighborhoods or where they like to go hang out with their families, or potentially in the future could see themselves hanging out with their families," Frey said.

Austin City Council's plans
Thursday's city council meeting was supposed to be the deadline for council members to decide whether to spend hundreds of millions on the project. The agenda initially contained two items: one for $19 million in design funding and a second item for $265 million in funding for the roadway elements for the caps.

However, in a memo on December 5, City Manager T.C. Broadnax withdrew the items because TxDOT extended the deadline. The memo cited delays in TxDOT's pump station contract award. The deadline has been extended to March 2025, and city staff intend to bring it up at a different city council meeting this spring.

While there was no vote scheduled on those big ticket items on Thursday, the city council did vote on the $41 million state infrastructure bank loan, which Frey said will help cover TxDOT design fees. Those fees could range from $8 million to $19 million, depending on which caps move forward into design. Part of it will also go to the Neighborhood Access and Equity Grant, which the city has to match.

They will also formally accept $105 million from the federal government for the section between Cedar Chavez and Fourth streets. That funding will require a $45 million match from the city. So far, that is the only cap to get funding and is the only cap scheduled for construction. Other caps can be added if the city secures financing.

The price tag for the full build of the project has ballooned to nearly $1.4 billion. It has increased by 50 percent to 80 percent due to building material costs and adjustments as crews have advanced the design and further fleshed out the elements.

"A lot of that has to do with the fact that some of these caps are going to create a tunnel-like system that needs to be supported by more voltage in electricity. There will need to be a lot more fire, life, and safety components that just weren't in the design at the schematic level," Frey said. "These are new added elements that they've priced out for us that we previously hadn't received yet."

With the cost estimates as they are, the city is evaluating plans to move forward with only some of the caps.

Read the full story and watch the video at KVUE.com.

i-35 construction finance city council