One person was killed and 13 others were injured Friday after an 18-wheeler was intentionally driven into a Texas Department of Public Safety Office in Brenham, authorities said.
Clenard Parker, 42, was arrested in connection with the incident, according to The Associated Press.
On Thursday, employees at the office had told Parker he would not be able to renew his commercial driver’s license, Texas Department of Public Safety Sgt. Justin Ruiz said.
Texas DPS Sgt. Justin Reese said the 18-wheeler was stolen in Chappell Hill, which is about 15 minutes from Brenham. That report came from KHOU-TV.
Authorities said they pursued the truck until it reached the DPS office in Brenham, and then Parker drove the 18-wheeler through the front door, where the desks are located for staff members who issue driver’s licenses.
Brenham Texas DPS Office crash: 18-wheeler chase ends with injuries https://t.co/ph9DISwLlc pic.twitter.com/3zvFrNJTMW
— Chris Walker (@WalkerATX) April 12, 2024
The truck backed up as if a second attempt was planned, but police removed Parker from the rig in handcuffs.
“I want to say thanks to our first responders,” Brenham Mayor Atwood Kenjura said.
Would you be a trucker?
“Had it not been for their quick action … the suspect was backing the vehicle up with the intent of going into it again. 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 deaths.”
As it was, all 14 people in the building were hurt. Three were flown to a hospital, and one of them — who was not immediately identified — died there, Reese said, per KHOU. Three others were treated at local hospitals and released. Eight people were treated at the scene.
Parker was being held without bail in the Washington County jail on suspicion of evading arrest causing serious bodily injury and unauthorized use of a vehicle, according to the AP. Police said more charges are expected.
In a post on X, state Sen. Lois Kolkhorst called the incident a “deliberate, heinous act.”
Parker has been charged with crimes in the past, according to KTRK-TV.
In 1999, he was arrested on a charge of criminal trespass. In 2022, he was charged with arson and criminal trespass.
Lena Randle, who told KTRK that Parker is her adopted brother, said Parker was traumatized several years ago after a car crash and suffers from delusions.
“He asked me, do I remember when Donald Trump came here while he was talking to his grandma?” Randle said, noting that the former president never came to their home.
“I just really don’t know what happened with him. Really don’t. Can’t even figure that out,” she said.
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