A Texas man believed to have been texting and driving when he crashed his pickup into a church bus and killed 13 people last month took prescription pain killers before the fatal accident and was also in possession of marijuana, according to court documents.
Following the incident on March 29, Jack D. Young admitted to taking two pills of Clonazepam — which he said made him drowsy — as well as the generic forms of the prescription drugs Ambien and Lexapro, My San Antonio reported.
A trooper also reported finding two intact marijuana cigarettes in the center console of Young’s truck in addition to five partially smoked joints, according to the news outlet.
Texas Department of Public Safety officer Scott Hewitt in an affidavit said Young’s driving ahead of the crash could indicate “intoxication by reason of alcohol, a controlled substance, a dangerous drug or a combination.”
A passenger traveling behind Young on U.S. 83 captured the 20-year-old swerving and drifting across the road for several miles before he crossed over the center line and plowed into a bus carrying 14 First Baptist Church of New Braunfels members returning home after Bible study.
A lone passenger survived the collision, which occurred about six miles north of Concan, Texas.
Young also told the person who recorded his driving that he was distracted by his cell phone while he was still pinned in the car wreck.
The new details on the crash were revealed in two affidavits filed by the Department of Safety Troopers and the District Attorney Daniel Kindred.
Due to his injuries, Young was transported to a hospital before a field sobriety test could be performed — he was discharged from the hospital a week ago.
An affidavit signed by Hewitt at the end of March requested samples of Young’s blood taken at the hospital following the crash. It has since been granted and will be tested for the intoxicants, the news outlet reported.
Young has not been charged and Kindred said no decision will be made until the investigation is complete — which could take several weeks.
