A Texas semitrailer driver rammed a stolen 18-wheeler through the front of a public safety building where his renewal for a commercial driver’s licence had been rejected, killing one person and injuring 13 others.
The intentional crash into the single-story brick building off a highway in Brenham, a rural town outside of Houston, littered debris in the parking lot and left a gaping hole in the entrance today.
The crash damaged the front of the red semitrailer, which was hauling materials on a flatbed.
After crashing into the building the first time, the driver backed up the truck with the intention of smashing it again before being detained, Brenham Mayor Atwood Kenjura said.
“It’s unfortunate that we are here gathered for a really senseless tragedy,” Kenjura said.
The driver — identified as Clenard Parker, 42 — was pulled out of the truck by authorities at the Texas Department of Public Safety office. Authorities say Parker did not resist when he was taken into custody and would face multiple felonies, but did not specify the charges.
On Thursday (local time), Parker was told by employees at the office that he would not be eligible to renew his commercial driver’s licence, Texas Department of Public Safety Sergeant Justin Ruiz said. He did not elaborate as to why Parker’s renewal was rejected.
One employee in the building was trapped “for a period of time” after the crash but no one who worked at the driver’s licence office suffered serious injuries, Republican state Senator Lois Kolkhorst said.
It was unclear on Friday afternoon (local time) where the person who was killed was located at the time of the crash.
Following the crash, two people were flown to a hospital in Bryan and another to Houston. Three people were transported to local hospitals but later released, and eight others were treated on the scene.
Parker, who lived in Chappell Hill about 16km east of the crash site, was being held without bail on Friday (local time) in the Washington County jail in Brenham on two initial charges — suspicion of evading arrest causing serious bodily injury and unauthorised use of a vehicle.
It wasn’t immediately clear if Parker had a lawyer or would be appointed one at a future court appearance. The jail’s website didn’t list an attorney or pending court date.
Ruiz said he didn’t know if Parker had a criminal record. He said they were still investigating whether he was armed at the time of the crash. He said they also were investigating whether his actions might be considered an act of terrorism.
“We’re trying to figure that out,” Ruiz said.
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