A person stole a semitrailer in Texas on Friday and, after a police pursuit, crashed it right into a state authorities workplace the place he had been denied a industrial driver’s license the day earlier than, killing one individual and injuring 13 others, the authorities mentioned.
Sgt. Justin Ruiz of the Texas Division of Public Security mentioned at a information convention that the motive force, Clenard Parker, had stolen the truck, and after a police pursuit drove the automobile into the workplace in Brenham, Texas, a small metropolis about 75 miles northwest of Houston. Mr. Parker, 42, of Chappell Hill, Texas, was not injured, and was taken into custody by a number of officers.
Mr. Parker had been to the workplace the day past, Sergeant Ruiz mentioned, and was instructed that he was not eligible to resume his industrial driver’s license.
Sergeant Ruiz described a winding police pursuit during which Mr. Parker drove the stolen truck westbound on a freeway, after which circled to return east.
Then, Sergeant Ruiz mentioned, “the stolen eighteen-wheeler took a tough proper flip, and went into the D.P.S. Brenham workplace.”
Fourteen individuals have been contained in the workplace when the truck slammed into the outside wall about 10:30 a.m. native time. Three have been airlifted to hospitals, three others have been transported to a hospital, and eight extra have been handled on the scene for his or her accidents.
One individual died of accidents from the crash after being transported, Sergeant Ruiz mentioned. It was unclear whether or not that individual labored on the Division of Public Security.
Mr. Parker was taken into custody and is going through a number of felony offenses, in accordance with the Division of Public Security, which is investigating the crash together with the Texas Rangers.
As of Friday night, Mr. Parker was being held within the Washington County Jail on expenses of unauthorized use of a automobile and evading arrest. It was unclear whether or not further expenses can be filed.
In keeping with a database from the Texas Division of Public Security, Mr. Parker had been beforehand arrested on arson and trespassing expenses. It was not clear if Mr. Parker was being represented by a lawyer within the present case.
Video and pictures of the scene confirmed the truck in a car parking zone, and injury to a wall of the constructing with particles scattered on the bottom.
The Division of Public Security gives a spread of providers, along with driver’s license operations and automobile inspection applications. Texas public security amenities have in recent times been tasked with stopping crime alongside the U.S.-Mexico border, addressing threats to public faculties, and coping with gangs and intercourse trafficking all through the state, in accordance with the division’s web site.
The workplace is separate from the Texas Division of Motor Autos, which oversees, for instance, automobile registration and issuing license plates.
Kirsten Noyes contributed analysis.
