By Emily Wax-Thibodeaux and Paulina Villegas
Washington Post
George Alvarez, the man charged in the deaths of eight people after his vehicle rammed a crowd in front of a Brownsville migrant shelter, had cocaine, benzodiazepines and marijuana in his system at the time, police said Tuesday.
Police are awaiting more toxicology reports before they determine a motive in the crash, Brownsville police investigator Martin Sandoval said. Witnesses said they heard the driver expressing anti-immigrant sentiments after he attempted to flee the scene.
The first toxicology report, which Sandoval said did not list levels of drugs in Alvarez’s bloodstream, was prepared by Valley Regional Hospital, where Alvarez was taken for treatment of injuries after the crash. Sandoval said police took a second sample, which they are testing to determine the drug levels.
That report will then be turned over to the Cameron County district attorney for a determination of whether charges should be altered or added, he said.
Alvarez, 34, is facing eight counts of manslaughter and additional charges stemming from injuries to 10 people.
While the police investigation continues, the community of Brownsville, a border town that has long been a waypoint for migrants, mourned. Many of those who were struck by the SUV were from Venezuela and had arrived in the United States in the past week, part of a mass migration from the troubled nation.
They had gathered at the Ozanam Center near the bus stop — the only overnight facility in the area serving migrants and the homeless.
Ozanam Center Director Victor Maldonado told The Washington Post that the center had not received any threats before the crash, but did afterward.
On Monday, a day after Sunday’s crash, Maldonado said a man approached the shelter’s front gate and yelled that the crash had been their fault.
In a separate incident Monday, a man in a blue vehicle parked across the street from the Ozanam center and displayed a gun to the security officer at the front gate, police said in a statement Tuesday. He then went to a side gate, where security guards told him that he could not enter the premises and called police. The man, identified by police as Joseph Serino, was later arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and reckless driving.
George Alvarez, the man charged in the deaths of eight people after his vehicle rammed a crowd in front of a Brownsville migrant shelter, had cocaine, benzodiazepines and marijuana in his system at the time, police said Tuesday.
Police are awaiting more toxicology reports before they determine a motive in the crash, Brownsville police investigator Martin Sandoval said. Witnesses said they heard the driver expressing anti-immigrant sentiments after he attempted to flee the scene.
The first toxicology report, which Sandoval said did not list levels of drugs in Alvarez’s bloodstream, was prepared by Valley Regional Hospital, where Alvarez was taken for treatment of injuries after the crash. Sandoval said police took a second sample, which they are testing to determine the drug levels.
That report will then be turned over to the Cameron County district attorney for a determination of whether charges should be altered or added, he said.
Alvarez, 34, is facing eight counts of manslaughter and additional charges stemming from injuries to 10 people.
While the police investigation continues, the community of Brownsville, a border town that has long been a waypoint for migrants, mourned. Many of those who were struck by the SUV were from Venezuela and had arrived in the United States in the past week, part of a mass migration from the troubled nation.
They had gathered at the Ozanam Center near the bus stop — the only overnight facility in the area serving migrants and the homeless.
Ozanam Center Director Victor Maldonado told The Washington Post that the center had not received any threats before the crash, but did afterward.
On Monday, a day after Sunday’s crash, Maldonado said a man approached the shelter’s front gate and yelled that the crash had been their fault.
In a separate incident Monday, a man in a blue vehicle parked across the street from the Ozanam center and displayed a gun to the security officer at the front gate, police said in a statement Tuesday. He then went to a side gate, where security guards told him that he could not enter the premises and called police. The man, identified by police as Joseph Serino, was later arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and reckless driving.
8 comments:
What Alvarez did was wrong, but I assume that he insulted the immigrants while he was being held down and kicked by them.
8:31 am
That was a rumor. Not true.
Estaba bien marihuano. Eso es normal, hay una epidemia de drogas.
Las drogas te hacen feliz.
Entonces todos quieren drogas para ser feliz. El resto de nosotros que no usamos drogas no estamos feliz.
JUAN NO THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS HERE? PORTER HOMIE
Thanks to the Biden administration, drugs flow easily across our open borders. Borders that for years the Biden administration has claimed were secure. What a pile of garbage Democrats dish out to the ignorant. If there is blood on anyone’s hands, it’s on the hands of all democrats who have caused this great injustice to illegal immigrants and the people of this nation who have lost loved ones due to drugs. A lot of suffering and lives have been lost only so that Democrats can remain in complete political power. Only God can help Democrats. Oh, I forgot, Democrats don’t believe in God. Oh, well, so be it!
May 10, 2023 at 8:31 AM
responding to May 10, 2023 at 12:38 PM
Yes, I agree that it is a rumor, because I don't believe that this was a hate crime. There is no way that Alvarez could've hurled racist comments while running into them. According to this article the group said he hurled comments at them. However, I am saying, if so, maybe it was when they were kicking the sh@t out of him when they took the law into their hands. He committed this crime under the influence of substances in his system. Just saying.
look at the Brownsville Police Department mugshot he was not charged with unlawful carry of a firearm. He was charged with Possession of Marijuana and reckless driving. It doesn't match the story why?
Breaking
DA says beating and time served was enough punishment
Hahahaha
May 11, 2023 at 4:30 PM
The vehicle lost control, he felt asleep on the wheel, the gas pedal got stuck and the brakes did't work. It's medication not drugs, got a doctor's prescription and was going home worked all night and was tired and felt asleep on the wheel. any more questions pinche d.a.??? you're free to go!!!!!
I see it coming! any bets????
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