A police officer from Baytown, Texas, faces serious charges following his indictment by a grand jury for a tragic accident that resulted in the deaths of two children in October.

According to KPRC, Officer Michael Hightower, aged 28, has been charged with two counts of manslaughter and one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

The incident occurred on the evening of October 23, as Hightower was reportedly on his way to a call. The grand jury’s indictments allege that Hightower was speeding and failed to use his lights or sirens when he collided with a 2023 Honda Odyssey. The minivan, carrying five children, was attempting a left turn under a blinking yellow arrow at the time of the crash.

Though Hightower reportedly had a green light, an investigation concluded he was responsible for the accident due to his excessive speed and failure to activate emergency signals. This diminished the other driver’s ability to react promptly, the report noted.

In the aftermath, Hightower and two young passengers—10-year-old Jude Russell and 8-year-old Ryver Russell, sons of a Harris County sheriff’s deputy—were airlifted to a medical facility. Tragically, both boys succumbed to their injuries, as reported by KTRK.

Three other children in the Odyssey — 16-, 14-, and 3-year-old girls — suffered fractures, brain bleeds, and other injuries, according to a GoFundMe for the Russell family.

Hightower underwent surgery on his leg and is still on medical leave, KTRK said.

The indictment was handed up on Friday, and Hightower turned himself in on Monday and was promptly released on a $150,000 bond.

Baytown police said that Hightower was “cooperating fully with the legal process.”