Man Charged With Intoxication Manslaughter After East Austin Crash
- Austin police have charged a 24-year-old man with intoxication manslaughter after a high-speed crash in East Austin that resulted in the death of a passenger, according to an...
- The incident occurred on April 20, 2026, at approximately 2:15 a.m.
- According to the affidavit, Morales’ blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.18 percent following the crash, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Texas.
Austin police have charged a 24-year-old man with intoxication manslaughter after a high-speed crash in East Austin that resulted in the death of a passenger, according to an arrest affidavit released by the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.
The incident occurred on April 20, 2026, at approximately 2:15 a.m. Near the intersection of East 12th Street and Chicon Street, when the suspect, identified as Javier Morales, was driving a 2018 Dodge Charger at an estimated speed of 100 mph in a 35 mph zone. Morales lost control of the vehicle, struck a curb and collided with a parked Capital Metro bus at the East 12th Street transit station.
According to the affidavit, Morales’ blood alcohol concentration was measured at 0.18 percent following the crash, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent in Texas. Investigators also reported that Morales admitted to consuming alcohol at a bar in downtown Austin prior to driving.
The passenger, 22-year-old Elena Rodriguez, a student at the University of Texas at Austin, was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency responders. Two other occupants in the vehicle sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to Dell Seton Medical Center for treatment.
Morales was arrested at the scene and charged with intoxication manslaughter, a second-degree felony in Texas punishable by up to 20 years in prison. He is being held in the Travis County Jail on a $500,000 bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 5, 2026, in Travis County Court.
Capital Metro confirmed that the bus involved in the crash was unoccupied at the time and sustained significant front-end damage. Service on Route 20 was temporarily diverted while crews cleared the scene and assessed the vehicle.
This incident marks the second fatal crash linked to impaired driving in East Austin within a 30-day period. In March, a similar incident on Manor Road resulted in one fatality and led to increased patrols by the Austin Police Department’s DWI Task Force.