Police ID suspect after car plowed into crowd outside Texas migrant center

The driver suspected of ramming an SUV into a crowd of pedestrians who were waiting at a bus stop outside a migrant center in Brownsville, Texas, on Sunday has been identified.

George Alvarez, 34, was behind the wheel of the Range Rover that struck 18 people, killing eight, outside Brownsville’s Ozanam Center, a shelter for migrants and homeless people in the community, Brownsville Police Chief Felix Sauceda told reporters Monday.

Alvarez, whom police said has a long rap sheet, has been formally charged and arraigned on eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was already charged with reckless driving in the early stages of the investigation.

The victims were waiting at a city bus stop next to the center at roughly 8:30 a.m. Sunday, when the crash occurred.

Alvarez ran a red light and lost control of the SUV, which flipped onto its side, before slamming into the crowd of pedestrians, Sauceda said. Officials are still investigating whether the act was intentional.

Alvarez allegedly tried to flee from the crash scene, but several people held him down to prevent his escape, the chief said.

Six people were killed at the scene, and two others died later, police said. Nearly a dozen others were injured and rushed to area hospitals.

Officials previously confirmed that all eight people who died in the crash were migrants from Venezuela. Sauceda told reporters that the victims were male.

Alvarez received bonds totaling $3.6 million. Officials are awaiting toxicology reports to determine whether Alvarez was intoxicated, Sauceda said.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/police-id-suspect-after-car-plowed-into-crowd-outside-texas-migrant-center