Man accused of killing 5 in I-35W crash is released from jail on bond

 

Eduardo Gonzalez was released from jail after posting $150,000 bond.

FORT WORTH, Texas — A 19-year-old man accused of killing five people in a drunk driving crash on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth has been released from jail on bond, according to court documents.

Eduardo Gonzalez faces five counts of intoxication manslaughter in the deadly crash, which happened early on the morning of Aug. 19.

Gonzalez posted bond of $150,000 and was released from the Tarrant County Jail on Aug. 23, according to court documents.

He was ordered to wear an alcohol monitor on his ankle and abstain from illegal drug use, according to his bond conditions listed in court records.

Police said Gonzalez was driving north on I-35W when he crashed into the back of a sedan, causing the sedan to catch on fire. All five people in the sedan died, police said.

The victims were identified as Willie Gunn, his girlfriend Amber Hopewell and Hopewell’s three young children.

Gonzalez was arrested at the scene and was accused of driving drunk when the crash happened.

Police have not said what Gonzalez’s alleged blood-alcohol level was at the time of the crash.

He was driving a Chevrolet Camaro when he rear-ended the victim’s car, police said. Security cameras at a nearby motel showed the victims’ car explode at 12:05 a.m., moments after the crash. 

A Fort Worth police spokesperson said the car was so badly burned that investigators could not initially tell how old the victims were. 

Gunn’s family said he and Hopewell were driving for DoorDash when the crash happened.

“It’s so sudden and that’s what makes it such a tragedy because we never would’ve expected this to happen,” said Wilbert Gunn, Willie’s older brother. “This is just shocking to me what we’re going through right now.”