Driver in Fatal 2014 SXSW Car Crash Found Guilty of Murder, Sentenced to Life in Prison

Photo by Colin Kerrigan

Rashad Owens, the driver who killed four and injured more than 20 others at SXSW in 2014, has been found guilty of capital murder, as The Austin-American Statesman reports. He has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The jury agreed with prosecutors that Owens was aware of his actions when he drove into a crowded street at an epicenter of the festival (9th and Red River, outside the Mohawk) early in the morning of March 13, 2014. Prosecutor Amy Meredith argued that Owens intentionally avoided a traffic stop and went past a barricade that had closed off the street to traffic. “There is no other answer than that the defendant knew what he was doing — and he didn’t care.” she said. “He didn’t care who was in his way. He was not going to be stopped. He was not going to go to jail.”

Meanwhile, the defense argued that Owens was unfamiliar with the city, and didn’t meant to kill anyone as he evaded the police. “We don’t know at what point Mr. Owens perceived what was in front of him,” said defense lawyer Rick Jones. “We don’t know what time he had to react.”

Comments are closed.