The 21-year-old driver who authorities say slammed into a bus carrying members from a church in New Braunfels killing 13 pleaded no contest Thursday, according to KSAT.
Jack Dillon Young also waived his right to a jury trial, which means he’ll only have a sentencing phase, which is scheduled to start on Nov. 7, reports KSAT.
Young is accused of crashing head-on into a bus carrying members of First Baptist Church of New Braunfels near Concan in March of 2017. Young was looking at his phone for a text message when the crash happened, according to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board.
The NTSB report shows Young crossed over the solid white line 37 times and entered the grass roadside at least five times before the collision.
Young told investigators he had been taking prescription medications prior to the crash, including clonazepam and the generic forms of Lexapro and Ambien. Several of those medications, as well as marijuana, were found in the pickup truck at the scene of the crash, the agency says.
Earlier this month, Young violated terms of his bond when he tested positive for the use of THC, according to court documents.
KSAT reports he could face anywhere from 2-270 years in prison for the 13 counts of intoxication manslaughter.
(Story from KXAN.com)
