The man authorities say crashed a stolen 18-wheeler into a Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) office, killing one and injuring 13 others is facing multiple charges.
Clenard Parker, 42, has been charged with evading arrest, unauthorized use of a vehicle and multiple aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges, according to online Washington County Jail records.
The crash happened on Friday in Brenham, Texas. Texas DPS said the crash happened around 11 a.m. when Parker was being pursued by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.
The truck then “took a hard right turn” and crashed into the building, which provides driver’s license and motor vehicle services, injuring multiple people and killing one, officials said. Parker was arrested at the scene.
Brenham is a city between Austin and Houston. The crash happened a day after Parker had visited the DPS office.
“From details thus far, this was an intentional act of violence against innocent citizens and our civil servants that work in this facility,” State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst posted to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “As I stated in the press conference, we will prosecute this coward to the fullest extent of the law.”
“Join us in praying for the Texan who passed, those injured, and their loved ones,” Texas Gov. Greg Abott posted to X.