HOUSTON — A 17-year-old accused of hitting and killing three valet employees in the Galleria area earlier this month was released on bond Monday morning.
Ahmedaltayeb Modawi, 17, is charged with three counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault in connection with the deaths of Fnan Measho, Eric Orduna and Nick Rodriguez.
His total bond was initially set at $350,000 -- $100,000 for each murder charge and $50,000 for the aggravated assault charge.
It was later reduced to $60,000 for each murder charge and $40,000 for the aggravated assault charge.
Modawi, who is still in high school, is not allowed to drive without permission, has a curfew and must surrender his passport. The teen has been living in Houston for more than five years with his family.
What happened
Prosecutors said the night of the crash, Modawi, who was also working as a valet, and another valet employee took a customer’s car without permission to do donuts in a parking lot.
This happened around 10 p.m. on Fairdale Lane near Fountainview Drive.
Houston police said a sergeant on patrol saw a vehicle doing donuts in a private parking lot in the Galleria area. Moments later, the vehicle started driving eastbound on Fairdale. The sergeant turned on his emergency lights to try to stop the driver, and within seconds, police said the vehicle sped away.
Prosecutors said Modawi was going 60 mph, double the speed limit, before crashing in the 6200 block of Fairdale.
Modawi is accused of hitting Measho, Orduna and Rodriguez as they were returning from parking cars, prosecutors said. He struck the three victims before driving through a ditch and striking a pole.
Prospect Park said all three of the valet employees worked at their restaurant.
Modawi appeared before the judge in hospital scrubs and with a walker. The teen suffered a broken leg during the deadly crash. His passenger, who was ejected during the crash, remains hospitalized with two broken legs.
KHOU 11 News is trying to determine where Modawi and the other valet were working that night of the deadly crash.
