Despite being stuck in a hospital after getting severely injured from the irresponsible and ghastly actions of a drunk driver, SXSW concertgoer Mason Endres was able to hear one of her favorite bands play live for her. On Thursday a drunk Rashad Owens was being chased by police after he evaded a DWI checkpoint in Austin, Texas. During the pursuit Owens made a wrong turn down a one-way street, crashing through a barricade, narrowly running over a police officer and then plowing his vehicle into a crowd that was enjoying the great live music at SXSW. The sad situation caused two people to lose their lives and 23 were injured, including 18-year-old Mason Endres. The young girl was rushed into surgery at nearby St. David’s Medical Center, where she was diagnosed with a concussion, a cervical spine fracture, broken nose, broken femur and severed artery in her leg. While Endres wasn’t able to be at SXSW, the band Jared & The Mill brought SXSW to her. In a marvelous gesture by the Phoenix indie folk band they played a live set in the girl’s hospital room and even took some special requests.
Mason’s father explained the excitement when his daughter was told that one of her favorite bands was going to be playing in the close and intimate setting of her hospital room,
“She was on monitors when we told her that Jared was coming, and her heart rate jumped way up.”
Mason is one of six people still at the hospital from the unfortunate incident. Meanwhile Owens who has previous arrest warrants and had a blood alcohol level was .114, over the .08 legal limit, will be charged with capital murder.
Via Statesman