Police in Lubbock have arrested a man with ties to Bryan/College Station and charged him with a murder Friday at an apartment that was on fire when authorities arrived.
According to KLBK and KAMC in Lubbock, Austin Hasten has been charged with murdering his south Lubbock neighbor, who was found in the living room of her apartment as firefighters worked to put out the fire.
Eyewitnesses at the scene say Hasten, 22, appeared to be intoxicated and with blood on his hands when he walked up to the scene and attacked a police officer. Hasten reportedly tried to steal the officer's gun before being wrestled down.
In December 2011, Hasten was accused of driving his pickup truck into the University Gardens Apartments on West Villa Maria in Bryan, then stripping down to his boxers and running before being caught by police. He also allegedly punched an officer in the face twice. One person was injured in the crash, and residents in eight apartments were displaced as a result.
Bryan Police say Hasten, listed as a College Station resident at the time, admitted using hallucinogenic mushrooms.
According to Brazos County records, Hasten's last criminal hearing related to the charges from December 2011 was in May 2012.
As of Saturday night, Hasten was being held in the Lubbock County Jail on a $3 million bond.
Lubbock media reports Hasten is a current Texas Tech student.
