Second person dies after downtown Austin hit-and-run crash during SXSW
AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department said a second person has died following a vehicle-pedestrian crash in downtown Austin during the week of South by Southwest.
The hit-and-run crash happened in the early morning hours on March 12 at Seventh and Red River Street following a police chase with a vehicle, according to police documents.
APD previously said Cody Shelton, 26, was killed in the crash and a second person was taken to the hospital in critical condition.
Police didn't identify the second person killed in the crash.
Police believe Tyrone Thompson, 23, was driving the vehicle connected with the crash. Thompson was arrested by APD in March and booked into the Travis County jail on several charges, including murder.
Thompson is also facing driving while intoxicated (DWI), resisting arrest search or transport, obstruction or retaliation, unlawful carrying of a weapon and an accident involving death charges, according to online jail records.
KXAN previously contacted Thompson's attorney, who said he could not comment on the case.
An APD officer patrolling in downtown saw a vehicle, a Mazda, and noticed the passenger headlamp was faulty, according to an arrest affidavit. The officer also saw the Mazda run a red light at East Eighth Street and Trinity Street, and pulled the car over in the 300 block of East Eighth, which is between Trinity Street and San Jacinto Boulevard.
When the officer got out of the car, the Mazda began slowly driving away. The officer commanded the driver to stop, but the car sped off. The vehicle continued at a high speed and ran several red lights when police believe the crash occurred, the affidavit states.
Police said Thompson was identified as the driver and had a history with the vehicle, as he’d been previously pulled over in it. Police were able to identify Thompson through comparing his social media posts with footage from HALO cameras in the area, the affidavit said.
Abigail Jones contributed to this story.