Driver of SUV that killed 8 in Texas crash had drugs in his system. But was he under the influence?

The driver of an SUV that slammed into a crowded bus stop in Brownsville, Texas, killing eight people and injuring 10, apparently had cocaine and other drugs in his system, police say, but they are not certain whether he was under the influence at the time of the crash.

Brownsville police spokesman Martin Sandoval said authorities are aware of a hospital toxicology report indicating Alvarez had cocaine, marijuana and Benzodiazepines − depressants − in his system after the crash Sunday. Because those drugs can remain in a person's system for weeks, police are waiting for separate toxicology reports that may shed more light on the case, Sandoval said.

George Alvarez, 34, of Brownsville, is charged with eight counts of manslaughter and 10 counts of aggravated assault. He is being held on $3.4 million bond. His criminal history includes charges of assault, aggravated assault, burglary, theft, DUI and resisting arrest.

Police say the SUV ran a red light, and video footage of the incident appears to show the vehicle hitting the victims before flipping onto its side.

Developments:

∙ Crash survivor Gabriel Gallardo, 27, who had a leg partially amputated, pleaded with President Joe Biden to help bring his family to the U.S. from Colombia. "I came to offer my family a better future," Gallardo said in a video message from his hospital bed provided to Noticias Telemundo. "My dream is gone."

∙ As it mourns, Brownsville is awaiting a crush of immigrants this week with the expiration of Title 42, which made it easier to expel migrants because of COVID-19 concerns.

Families await identities of victims

Three days after the crash, friends and families who suspect their loved ones are among the dead have yet to get confirmation from authorities. Police say several were from Venezuela, all were male, and fingerprints have been obtained. More than 100 people have inquired about people they suspect were among the victims, but many had no official identification on them, Sandoval said. When the SUV struck the bus stop, there were "a lot of documents that flew everywhere," he said.

“Trying to match a document to a person in that state is kind of difficult, especially when somebody is deceased."

Contributing: The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Driver that killed 8 in Texas SUV crash had drugs in system; updates