Third person dies from SXSW crash

A third person has died following last week's crash at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, when an alleged drunk driver sped through a crowd of pedestrians.

Sandy Le, 26, died Monday morning at University Medical Center Brackenridge, where she had been in critical condition since Thursday, a Seton Healthcare spokesman said.

Le was with a group of friends on Red River Street when the silver Honda came barreling through the crowd early Thursday morning.

“Anybody who had the privilege of knowing her would tell you she’s just full of life,” her brother-in-law, Stuart Gates said. “Not to sound cliché, she would just brighten up a room when she would walk in. She had an amazing quirkiness about her that was irreplaceable.”

Two others, Jamie West, 27, and Steven Craenmehr, 35, were pronounced dead from the crash, in which Rashad Charjuan Owens, 21, allegedly accelerated into a crowd in an attempt evade a police checkpoint.

Owens has been charged with one count of capital murder and aggravated assault with a motor vehicle. Other charges, police say, may be added when the case is forwarded to the Travis County District Attorney's Office.

Five people remain hospitalized at UMC Brackenridge Monday, including DeAndre Tatum, who is in critical condition; Joseph McCraney and Kartisha Davis are in good condition, and Evan West, Jamie West's husband, and Gracie Nguyen, are in fair condition. A sixth patient, Mason Endres, is in fair condition at St. David's Medical Center.

[Dallas Morning News] [Austin Statesman]