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Teen had weed in system at time of fatal crash
A 17-year-old is under home confinement facing charges in the crash that killed six family members in North Texas last year.
JOHNSON CO., TEXAS - A 17-year-old is under home confinement facing charges in the crash that killed six family members in North Texas last year.
Texas DPS announced charges against Luke Resecker for the December crash in Johnson County.
Court documents say he had marijuana in his system at the time of the crash.
Of the nine people involved in the crash, six lost their lives.
The three survivors were seriously injured, one of whom is now facing charges accused of causing the crash.
Three months after the fatal head-on collision on Highway 67, near Cleburne, the first charges have been filed against one of the two drivers.
Resecker is charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Investigators say he was driving the Chevy Silverado that crossed a double line and struck a Honda Odyssey van on December 26.
The crash took the lives of six members of the same family, seriously injured a seventh, as well as a passenger in Resecker's truck.
According to an affidavit, investigators found "THC Wax, a THC Vape Pen, and marijuana" inside the truck Resecker was driving, and "blood results show that Resecker had THC in his system at the time of the crash."
THC is the psychoactive element in marijuana.
"When you have intoxication manslaughter with THC listed, it's a little different than alcohol," explained attorney Toby Shook, who is not involved in the case. "Defense attorneys often employ a strategy in intoxication by marijuana cases is to put forth, 'Well, my client’s a regular user of marijuana, therefore, these levels could be built up over time. It's not accurate at the time he was driving.’"
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The court records also shed light on just how severe the injuries were to the three people who survived.
Lokesh Potabathula was in the van, and as of last month, had not regained use of his lower extremities.
According to documents, Resecker's passenger, 17-year-old Preston Glass, suffered severe head injuries that left him mentally impaired.
Resecker himself was taken by helicopter to a hospital.
Luke Resecker (Source: Texas DPS)
State troopers said, because of his medical condition, he was unable to be booked into the Johnson County Jail and is under home confinement.
He posted a $50,000 bond, which Shook said might be low for six manslaughter charges.
"That may be due to the defendant's injuries," he said. "Obviously, he was very young, lack of criminal history, flight risk, lack of flight risk, will all factor into that."
FOX 4 attempted to reach Resecker's family, but did not hear back.
Court documents did not list his attorney.