HOUSTON — Charges against the man accused in the hit-and-run death of a Taylor Swift fan will be upgraded to felony murder, according to the prosecutor in the case.
At last check, Alan Hayes, 34, remained jailed on bonds totaling $120,000 for DWI and failure to stop and render aid.
Police said Hayes struck and killed Jacob Lewis, 20, who was on his way home from the Taylor Swift concert with his sister Friday night.
When their car broke down on the Southwest Freeway, Lewis was trying to push it to the shoulder when he was struck by a vehicle, according to Houston police.
They said Hayes left the scene but a tow truck driver followed him and relayed his location to 911.
Prosecutor Kelly Marshall said Hayes has two prior DWI convictions and was arrested in Montgomery County on a drug charge a few days before the accident.
“You can’t climb into somebody else’s mind but what he admitted to was that he was scared," Marshall said.
She said Hayes also admitted that he mixed alcohol with prescription drugs the night Lewis was killed.
'It's difficult to hear'
The victim's father, Steve Lewis, reacted to the news that Hayes had prior convictions.
“Whether the guy's done it once or done it many times, it's difficult to hear, it's difficult to know that, that he made the choices and that he committed these actions and that they had this tragic consequence," Lewis said. "But at the same time, you know, I, I don't necessarily wish any ill will on him.”
He's comforted by the fact that his son shared a wonderful memory with his sister during his last hours alive. Jacob's final Twitter post was a video with April at the concert.
“He was excited, looking forward to going and being with his, with his sister, and sharing this experience with her. And it was a great concert, and they had a really great time.”
Lewis said the family has been touched by the response of Taylor Swift fans who've helped raise the total of a GoFundMe.com account set up on the family's behalf to over $110,000. Hundreds of fans donated $13 in honor of Swift's lucky number.
The family reportedly plans to use part of the money for a Katy ISD scholarship in Jacob's name.