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 on each of the five charges 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.
According to the district court's website, Tarrant County judges make individualized assessments using five factors to release people, including their ability to pay, the nature of the charge, and community safety.
WFAA reached out to Magistrate Brooke Panuthos Monday afternoon to learn more about her assessments to grant conditional driving privileges to Gonzalez but has not heard back from her as of Monday evening.
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.
Jacresia Gunn says her family is devastated all over again after the man accused of killing her uncle in the crash was released from jail.
"It hit my family really hard, we are devastated," Jacresia Gunn said. "He's able to bond with his family again, they able to hold him, they able to talk to him, they able to comfort him, you know, And we can't like we can't do none of that."
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."
When Fort Worth community leader Daryl Washington learned Gonzalez's age and that police suspect alcohol may have been a factor in the crash, he shared concerns that Gonzalez is under the legal buying age.
"I think we need to crack down on the people that sell them this alcohol, for one thing, need to crack down on them real hard. And I think our law enforcement are doing what they can do," Washington said.
Washington said he doesn't believe conditional driving privileges are in the best interest of the public since Gonzalez is accused of a vehicle crash that killed five people.
"What are you going to do, drive and go hurt somebody else?" Daryl Washington said, "It could be you, it could be me, It could be one of our kids."
Jacresia Gunn is helping with her uncle's funeral plans. They are working closely with the Tree of Life Funeral Home in Fort Worth for a Celebration of Life service for Willie Gunn.
The family has also organized a GoFundMe to help cover some of the funeral expenses. Still, she and her family want more answers as to why his accused killer is back on the street.