Fatal accident on I-35W in Fort Worth, Texas: Suspect released from prison

FORT WORTH, Texas – A 19-year-old man accused of killing five people in a drunken driving crash on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth has been released on bail, court records show.

Eduardo Gonzalez is accused of five counts of manslaughter while intoxicated in connection with the fatal accident that occurred in the early morning of August 19.

According to court records, Gonzalez posted $150,000 bail and was released from the Tarrant County Jail on August 23.

According to bail conditions listed in court records, he was ordered to wear a breathalyzer on his ankle and refrain from using illegal drugs.

According to police, Gonzalez was driving north on I-35W when he crashed into the back of a sedan, causing it to catch 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 charged with driving while intoxicated at the time of the accident.

Police have not released any information about Gonzalez's suspected blood alcohol level at the time of the accident.

He was driving a Chevrolet Camaro when he struck the victim's car, police said. Surveillance cameras from a nearby motel showed the victim's car explode at 12:05 a.m., moments after the crash.

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

Gunn's family said he and Hopewell were driving for DoorDash when the accident happened.

“It's so sudden and that's why it's such a tragedy because we never expected something like this to happen,” said Wilbert Gunn, Willie's older brother. “What we're going through right now is just shocking to me.”