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       lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial
       
       
       ARTICLE VIEW: 
       
       1 dead, several injured after 18-wheeler crashed into Texas Department
       of Public Safety office, driver arrested
       
       By Andy Rose and Sara Smart, CNN
       
       Updated: 
       
       7:31 PM EDT, Thu April 18, 2024
       
       Source: CNN
       
       A man drove a stolen 18-wheeler into a Texas Department of Public
       Safety building Friday, killing one person and injuring 13 others,
       according to local officials.
       
       The driver of the stolen 18-wheeler was identified as Clenard Parker,
       42, from Chappell Hill, law enforcement officials said in a Friday news
       conference. He was uninjured and taken into custody.
       
       Parker was denied his commercial driver’s license at the Brenham DPS
       office on Thursday afternoon, according to authorities and was fleeing
       pursuing deputies at the time of the crash.
       
       “This is a tragic day for us,” department regional supervisor
       Gerald Brown said at the news conference. “My heart and prayers goes
       out to the family members of those that are injured, as well as those
       that are injured.”
       
       Parker was charged with “three counts of aggravated assault with a
       deadly weapon causing serious bodily injury, one count of evading
       arrest or detention causing serious bodily injury, and one count of
       unauthorized use of a vehicle,” Texas DPS Sgt. Justin Ruiz told CNN
       on Monday. The DPS on Thursday filed additional charges, including one
       for felony murder.
       
       Brenham Mayor Atwood Kenjura described the incident as “a really
       senseless tragedy” at the news conference.
       
       He added the suspect seemed to have been backing up with the intent of
       ramming the building a second time.
       
       “Our fire chief mentioned that if he had veered a little bit to the
       left the second time, there would have been a collapse of that
       building, which would have resulted in a lot more injuries and possible
       death,” the mayor said.
       
       Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said he and his wife are “saddened to hear of
       the tragic incident at the Texas Department of Public Safety office in
       Brenham” “Join us in praying for the Texan who passed, those
       injured, and their loved ones. I thank first responders for their swift
       response. Texas will bring this heinous criminal to justice.”
       
       “We believe this was a criminal act,” Washington County Sheriff
       Otto Hanak on Friday.
       
       The DPS announced the arrest and said, “There is no further threat to
       the community.”
       
       Aerial footage from CNN affiliate KTRK shows a semi with a flatbed
       trailer loaded with what appears to be rebar. A large gap is seen in
       the front of the building and the vehicle’s cab is severely damaged.
       
       Brenham is about 70 miles northwest of Houston.
       
       CNN’s Sara Weisfeldt and Rosa Flores contributed to this report
       
       This story has been updated with additional information.
       
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