HOUSTON -- Tejano singer Emilio Navaira is slowly regaining consciousness, hospital officials in Houston said Thursday.

According to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, Navaira opened his eyes and moved his arms and legs on Wednesday night.

About 4:15 p.m. Wednesday, a hospital official told family members that the singer was slowly regaining consciousness. Emotions reached a high point when his wife was by his bedside, said Navaira's manager.

"She asked him, 'Can you hear me? Open your eyes,'" Joe Casias said. "He did (and) at that point, she grabbed his hand and he started squeezing."

The Tejano singer also moved his arms and legs, Casias said.

While Navaira's condition has improved, he remains in stable but critical condition, hospital officials said.

At about 5 a.m. Sunday, the 26,000-pound motor coach slammed into a collection of freeway barrels that mark the interchange of two highways in Bellaire, a southwest Houston enclave. Navaira was thrown through the windshield, injuring him severely and requiring two brain surgeries, the most recent on Tuesday evening.

The 45-year-old father of five and Grammy winner is fighting for his life.

"It was weird," his brother said. "Right away. I thought of him. I knew he was driving. I go: 'Emilio, you OK?' I heard a 'Yeh, yeh,' but it actually was our drummer beneath the rubble."

He said by the time he made his way out of the bus, paramedics had strapped his brother to a gurney to take him to the hospital.

"They didn't let me get to him," Raul Navaira said. "I just shouted out that I loved him. ... Maybe I was in a daze. By the time I got out of the bus, everybody was there and helping."

The wreck remains under investigation. Several members of Navaira's band, including Raul, came away with less serious injuries. Navaira had a black eye Wednesday and said he had scrapes and bruises and a sprained ankle but was otherwise well.

His brother and their group have released more than a dozen albums, including "Acuerdate," which won the Grammy for best Tejano album in 2003.

Police in Bellaire said Emilio Navaira was not licensed to drive the tour bus. Authorities were awaiting the results of blood-alcohol tests and said it was possible he may have fallen asleep.

Raul Navaira said his brother was accustomed to the long drives each weekend. Asked about the possibility of alcohol being involved, he said: "I don't know."

"My heart hurts and goes out to my brother and my other brothers of the band," he said. "It's just sad they have to go through this."

The group had planned to be in California for a tour starting this weekend.