AUSTIN, TEXAS — One year after a deadly pileup on Interstate 35 in North Austin killed five people, the National Transportation Safety Board has released hundreds of pages of investigative documents pointing to a cascade of regulatory failures — by the state, the driver, and his employer — that may have contributed to the crash.
The documents reveal that Texas issued the wrong type of commercial driver’s license to the driver. Federal officials say the error could have kept him off the road years before the crash.
(Jay Janner/American-Statesman)
The Licensing Failure
The NTSB found that Texas granted Solomun Weldekeal Araya a standard commercial driver’s license when federal regulations required a non-domiciled CDL based on his immigration status. Had the correct license been issued, it would have expired years before the March 2025 crash. Investigators could not determine whether he would have been eligible for a CDL at the time of the collision. The Texas Department of Public Safety did not respond to a request for comment.
On top of the licensing issue, Weldekeal Araya’s required medical certificate had expired roughly two weeks before the crash. That lapse meant his license was already set for downgrade. His North Texas-based employer — the now-defunct ZBN Transport LLC — said it had no idea the certificate had expired.
The Company Had No Safety Structure
ZBN Transport showed serious safety failures, according to the documents. The company had no formal safety structure, no written hiring procedures, and no documented employee policies. When hiring drivers, the owner reached out to members of his Eritrean community to fill openings. Applicants needed a CDL, a driving record, a medical certificate, and had to pass drug and road tests — but no written qualifications or documentation of pre-employment screening existed.
The company’s electronic logging devices flagged Weldekeal Araya 36 times for speeding and 10 times for hard braking in the week leading up to the crash. Management addressed none of those incidents. The truck also carried a dashcam and safety monitoring system that was not operational at the time of the crash.
The Night of the Crash
The crash occurred at approximately 11:20 p.m. on March 13, 2025, on southbound I-35 near Parmer Lane. Weldekeal Araya was traveling in the center lane when he failed to stop for traffic backed up in a construction zone and slammed into a line of vehicles. His truck struck a Volkswagen Jetta and a Chevrolet Silverado, killing their occupants, before continuing another tenth of a mile and striking 13 additional vehicles. A family of four — including an infant and a child — and an elderly woman died. Other drivers told investigators they saw the slowdown and reacted in time to avoid the crash.
Federal investigators found that Weldekeal Araya was operating on little sleep, frequently using his phone, and speeding in a construction zone in the moments before impact. An analysis of his phone activity showed he may have slept no more than 4 hours and 45 minutes total while off-duty — including just 1 hour and 15 minutes of uninterrupted rest. He used his phone extensively during periods when he was supposed to be sleeping. Investigators believe he likely unlocked his phone within a minute of the crash, though they could not confirm he was actively using it at that moment. The truck was traveling approximately 70 mph in a 60 mph work zone when it approached stopped traffic. Investigators also found discrepancies in his driving logs, including instances of driving while marked off-duty and unaccounted mileage.
Solomun Weldekeal-Araya (Austin Police Department)
The Charges
Weldekeal Araya faces five counts of manslaughter and 17 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He was released on bond in April 2025. His case remains pending. His defense attorney, Bristol Myers, declined an interview but released a written statement. “The NTSB report reinforces that this was a tragic accident, not a crime,” Myers said.
Investigators initially charged Weldekeal Araya with intoxication manslaughter after he failed multiple field sobriety tests. However, a breath test showed a 0.00 blood-alcohol level. Investigators later concluded he may have been under the influence of a central nervous system depressant, but two blood samples taken at the hospital came back clean.
The NTSB said in a statement that the documents released so far contain only factual findings. “Analysis, probable cause and contributing factors will be determined at the conclusion of the investigation,” the agency said. The NTSB typically completes investigations within 12 to 24 months of an incident.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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