Drunk Driver Sentenced to 7 Years for Fatal Texas Crash
Driver must also serve 15 days annually during probation for killing college student.
A driver convicted of intoxication manslaughter and assault has been sentenced to seven years in prison for a fatal drunken crash that killed a college student and seriously injured another in Dallas. Lynlee Pollis, 30, was also ordered to serve 10 years of probation after her release, with a requirement to spend 15 days in jail each year of her probation.
The annual jail time is designated for specific dates, including the birthdays of the victims, Pollis's own birthday, Christmas, and the anniversary of the crash. The sentence was handed down by State District Judge Jennifer Balido following a two-and-a-half-week trial.
Pollis was found responsible for the death of Southern Methodist University student Honor Wallace, 19, and the severe injury of her friend, Catherine "CeCe" Solberg, in September 2023. During the trial, Solberg's father, Bobby, addressed Pollis, stating, "You were so drunk and you wouldn’t admit it." Wallace's father, David, expressed his grief, telling Pollis, "You took the most precious gift from us through your selfishness. Own it. Own what you did."
Evidence presented during the trial indicated that Pollis was speeding at 67 mph in a 35 mph zone and ran a red light when she collided with Wallace and Solberg's vehicle. Wallace was pronounced dead at the hospital, while Solberg sustained a broken collarbone and a traumatic brain injury. A friend of the victims testified to the harrowing experience of seeing Solberg injured and covered in Wallace's blood.
Blood tests taken hours after the crash revealed Pollis had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.294%, which is nearly four times the legal limit of 0.08% in Texas. Pollis's defense attorneys acknowledged she was speeding and ran a red light but contested the reliability of the blood alcohol evidence. They argued for probation, citing Pollis's lack of prior felony convictions, while the prosecution countered that probation was inappropriate given the circumstances.
Pollis herself suffered a fractured ankle and a minor head injury in the crash. Her dog, a husky named Tequila, was unharmed. The jury deliberated for approximately three hours before reaching its verdict.