- Luke Garrett Resecker, 18, is indicted on six counts of DUI manslaughter and smiles in his new mugshot image.
- A Texas teenager is accused of driving under the influence of THC after driving his car into oncoming traffic on December 26th.
- Tragically, six members of the family were killed in the accident, and Mr Resecker and two others were seriously injured.
A Texas teenager is facing charges of drunk driving after he plowed head-on into oncoming traffic the day after Christmas, killing a family of six.
Luke Garrett Resecker, 18, smiles in a new mugshot as he is charged with six counts of drunk driving manslaughter, and investigators say he was under the influence of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, at the time.
He also faces charges of assault while intoxicated, possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana, according to Law & Crime.
The horrific crash left three people dead: 28-year-old Lucille Bali, Nageswararao Ponnada, 64-year-old Sitamahalakshmi Ponnada, 60-year-old Navina Potavatula, 36-year-old Kritik Potavatula, 10-year-old Nishida Potavatula and 9-year-old.
A seventh victim, Lokesh Potavtala, 43, was seriously injured but survived the tragedy. The family, originally from India, were visiting relatives in Texas.
Resecker was traveling with a friend in a white Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck on U.S. Highway 67 when the crash occurred on Dec. 26, 2023, and police said they found marijuana and a marijuana vape pen inside the vehicle.
His blood also reportedly tested positive for THC.
He allegedly veered across a double yellow line on a median-less highway and collided head-on with a family's Honda Odyssey minivan.
The family tried to get out of his path but couldn't get there in time before they crashed on the highway.
Resecker's passenger was reportedly not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, but survived the crash and was taken to hospital by helicopter.
No passengers were ejected from either vehicle, although the only survivor in the minivan, Lokesh Potavtala, was reportedly not wearing a seat belt.
A helicopter rescue team flew survivors, including Resecker, to a nearby hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition.
Because of the 18-year-old's injuries, a Department of Public Safety spokesperson told The Dallas Morning News that he was deemed “medically unfit” to be held in the jail.
As a result, a judge placed him under house arrest and ordered him to wear a GPS monitor, after which he posted $50,000 bail to avoid jail time and remain detained at home.
The surviving family lost his wife, son, daughter, mother-in-law, father-in-law and cousin. 11Alive reported at the time that the accident caused him to lose his sight and may never walk again.
He was “hospitalized in critical condition and underwent multiple surgeries after suffering deep intestinal damage and multiple fractures throughout his body, including his spine, ribs and limbs,” according to a GoFundMe statement at the time.
His cousin, 28-year-old Rasil Bali, was driving the minivan at the time, and the family was on their way back from a trip to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center.
Bali emigrated to the United States from India in August 2020 and settled in Texas; the rest of her family lived in Alpharetta, Georgia.
After the accident, Bali's roommate, Ayyappala Bandar, told NBC News he received a message from a friend's iPhone at 4:01 p.m. saying the phone had recorded the accident.
“We were just shocked by what just happened,” Vandal said.
“I tried to contact everyone in the car, but no one picked up.”
He said Bali was an ambitious and driven person.
“We were like brothers,” Bandar said. “He really is like a brother here.”
“He had such big dreams. He was always thinking about tomorrow. He was like, 'Hey, we've got to rule the world.'”
“We came here with a lot of struggles.”
