May 8 (UPI) -- A Brownsville, Texas man who allegedly drove his vehicle into people waiting for a bus on Sunday was charged with manslaughter on Monday.
Authorities charged George Alvarez, 34, with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, authorities said.
A judge also set his bail at $3.6 million.
Brownsville Police Chief Felix Sauceda said detectives are probing the incident and have not ruled out that the incident was intentionally done. Authorities said police are waiting for the results of a formal toxicology report on Alvarez as well.
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Alvarez is accused of driving a Range Rover that slammed into people at a bus stop near the Bishop Enrique San Pedro Ozanam Center, a shelter for migrants and the homeless in Brownsville.
The driver was detained by civilians at the scene until police arrived. Alvarez received medical care before being sent to jail.
The atmosphere around Brownsville, one of Texas's best-known border towns, was already tense with the expected influx of migrants with the federal Title 42 rule expiring on Thursday. Title 42 allowed authorities to swiftly expel migrants because of COVID-19 restrictions.
Local media reported that Alvarez allegedly gestured to the group and hurled insults at them before speeding toward them with his vehicle. Sauceda said, though, that his department have not confirmed those reports.
Police distributed information during a news conference showing that Alvarez's criminal history included more than 15 charges, including two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a count of assault against an elderly or disabled person and four counts of assault causing bodily injury to a family member.
