The deaths of the four people killed in last year’s South by Southwest crash are still fresh on police Chief Art Acevedo's mind.
"There is no doubt in my mind that the individual responsible for those deaths acted in a willful, wanton disregard for the life of dozens and dozens of people,” Acevedo said.
Austin police say 22-year-old Rashad Owens drove through through a crowd while trying to avoid arrest during last year’s music festival, killing 27-year-old Jamie West, 35-year-old Steven Craenmehr, 26-year-old Sandy Le and 18-year-old DeAndre Tatum, as well as injuring dozens others.
A month later, Austin Police Department press releases show the deaths counted among the total number of murders in Austin for the year.
By mid-June, that changed and the deaths were classified as traffic fatalities because Owens used a car.
"That's the first time I learned that we actually did that,” Acevedo said.
Traffic fatalities are not considered violent crimes, but rather are included in data sent to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The Texas Department of Transportation collects that information from agencies across Texas, but says it does not advise law enforcement on how to classify cases.
Since the beginning of January, TWC News has been trying to interview the head of the Homicide Division at the Austin Police Department.
After an interview with Acevedo last week, we renewed that request. Now we are being told the department is not allowed to talk about the case because it could be going before a jury soon.
The FBI says that suicides, traffic fatalities and fetal deaths are excluded from the Uniform Crime Reporting Program. Murders are used to rank cities by crime, and placing high on the list comes with bragging rights.
"We are very proud in the city of Austin that we are the second-safest city when it comes to violent crime,” Acevedo said.
Acevedo has referred to that rank several times, including just last month. If the South by Southwest deaths were counted as murders, it’s possible that Austin could slip from second.
Three recent deaths involving cars were still considered murders in Austin's statistics.
Virginia Samuelson died when her son drove over her after a fight in 2011. She was murder No. 22 of the year.
Efren Gonzales-Rojas Jr. died after his vehicle was rammed from behind and hit a pole in late 2012. He was murder No. 26 on the year.
After Lazaro Rodriquez was intentionally run over in late 2013, his death was counted as the 20th murder of the year.
Acevedo would not comment on the discrepancies, instead saying, "I think our job as a police department is to bring justice to those people who had loved ones seriously injured and taken from them."