Jury selection begins for man accused of killing 8 migrants in Brownsville crash

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Jury selection is underway in the trial for a man accused of killing eight migrants and injuring 10 others.

George Alvarez (Cameron County Jail)

George Alvarez was indicted on 26 charges; eight counts of manslaughter, seven counts of intoxication manslaughter, 10 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of intoxication assault.

Court officials told ValleyCentral that jury selection began Monday morning.

Background

Alvarez was identified by Brownsville police as the driver in a deadly crash on May 7, 2023 in front of the Ozanam Center. Police said at a news conference that a gray SUV, driven by Alvarez, ran a red light before it lost control, flipped on its side and struck 18 people standing outside.

Eight people died as a result of the crash.

_{Emergency personnel respond to a fatal collision in Brownsville, Texas, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Several migrants were killed after they were struck by a vehicle while waiting at a bus stop near Ozanam Center, a migrant and homeless shelter. (AP Photo/Michael Gonzalez)}

In August 2023, police released an update stating that a partial toxicology report showed that Alvarez was not under the influence of alcohol at the time of the crash. State lab results, which would show the presence of drugs, were still pending.

At the news conference, authorities noted that Alvarez had a lengthy criminal history, which ValleyCentral detailed in a previous report.

Alvarez remains in custody at the Cameron County Jail.