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Suspect In Deadly SXSW Crash Pleads Not Guilty

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AUSTIN (AP) - The suspect in last year's deadly South By Southwest crash in Austin has pleaded not guilty to capital murder and murder charges.

Rashad Owens made a brief appearance Thursday in Travis County District Court. The 23-year-old has a final pretrial hearing set for October 15.

Authorities say Owens was intoxicated and accelerated through a festival crowd in March 2014, killing four people and injuring more than 20 others. Owens is accused of fleeing a patrolman and driving down a closed street at the time of the crash.

He faces one capital murder count and four murder counts, along with 24 counts of aggravated assault. He's being held in the Travis County Jail with bonds totaling $5.5 million.

Jury selection begins Oct. 26, with testimony scheduled to start November 2.

(© Copyright 2015 The Associated Prss. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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