AUSTIN, Texas — The truck driver charged in a deadly crash on Interstate 35 that killed five people may have been wrongly accused of driving under the influence, according to his attorney.

Solomun Weldekeal-Araya was initially charged with five counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault after the March 13 crash involving 17 vehicles in a construction zone along I-35. Authorities claimed Weldekeal-Araya was under the influence of central nervous system depressants at the time of the wreck.

However, newly released toxicology results reveal that Weldekeal-Araya was sober while behind the wheel, prompting his attorney, Bristol Myers, to push for his release from the Travis County Jail or a significant reduction in his $1.2 million bond.

“It was exactly what I expected to find,” Myers said. “This is one of those instances where my client told me the truth. I believed it and it turned out to be true.”

The original charges stemmed from field sobriety tests and a Drug Influence Evaluation conducted by officers at the scene and at the hospital. Officers reported bloodshot and watery eyes, slurred speech, and claimed Weldekeal-Araya appeared impaired. A Drug Recognition Expert concluded that he was under the influence of a substance similar to Xanax or Valium.

According to reports, the truck driver was found hiding in the sleeper bunk of his semi-truck after the crash. He told police that he had tried to brake but the brakes failed. A later inspection by a Texas DPS officer found no mechanical issues with the vehicle.

In a statement, the Austin Police Department acknowledged the new toxicology report and said the investigation is ongoing in coordination with the Travis County District Attorney’s Office.

Weldekeal-Araya remains in custody as his legal team seeks either a release or a reduction in bond. A motion was officially filed on April 4 requesting his bond be lowered from $1.2 million to just $1.

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