Man Charged in Deadly SXSW Crash Appears in Court on Thursday

Rashad Owens, the man charged in the deadly South by Southwest (SXSW) car crash last year, appeared in court Thursday for his final pretrial hearing.

The 23-year-old man is charged with capital murder in the deaths of 35-year-old Steven Craenmehr of Amsterdam, Holland and Austin resident Jamie West, 27. Police said that Owens fled from an officer when he was pulled over at a gas station on the I-35 service road, drove the wrong way down Ninth Street - a one-way street - and through a SXSW barricade. Police said he then drove through a group of pedestrians standing outside of Mohawk, a popular bar and music venue, killing Craenmehr and West and injuring more than 20 others. 

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Owens faces one capital murder charge, four counts of murder, and 24 counts of aggravated assault. Owens has pled not guilty, and he’s being held in Travis County Jail with bonds totaling $5.5 million.

Jury selection for the trail will begin Oct. 26 at 9 a.m.