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Dallas jury weighs sentence for driver in fatal crash that killed SMU student
Lynlee Pollis faces up to 20 years in prison for intoxication manslaughter and up to 10 years for intoxication assault after a 2023 crash killed Honor Wallace and seriously injured Catherine Solberg. Testimony in the punishment phase included accounts from the victims’ families and witnesses who described Pollis’ life since the crash.
A jury is hearing punishment evidence in the case of Lynlee Pollis, convicted earlier this week in a 2023 crash that killed Southern Methodist University student Honor Wallace and seriously injured Wallace’s friend, Catherine Solberg.
Pollis, a Dallas woman, was found guilty of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. She faces up to 20 years in prison for manslaughter and up to 10 years for assault. Testimony continued Wednesday, Oct. 14, as jurors considered her sentence.
Wallace’s mother testified earlier in the punishment phase that her daughter spoke French and Spanish fluently and hoped to become a lawyer. A Dallas police investigator also described Pollis’ social media activity, including alcohol-related references and an Instagram account for her dog, Tequila. The investigator said Pollis had described tequila as the “best drink in the world.”
Pollis’ father testified Wednesday about his daughter’s difficulties since the crash and the loss of her mother to a sudden illness last year. He told jurors Pollis made poor decisions on the day of the crash but did not mean to hit Wallace’s vehicle. He said he knew of no previous instances of her driving while intoxicated and described her as a good person with more to contribute.
Prosecutors pressed him on the lasting impact of Wallace’s death, telling him that Pollis would eventually leave prison while Wallace’s family would never see their daughter again.
The defense also called character witnesses. Jack Dovey, a family friend and Pollis’ former employer in the Seattle area, described her as dependable and responsible. Heidi Taylor, a friend from Park Cities Presbyterian Church, said Pollis was kind, involved in church life and good with children. Taylor testified that Pollis no longer drives, relies on friends for transportation, does not drink and is subject to periodic alcohol and breathalyzer testing.
Evidence presented during the trial’s guilt phase showed Pollis was driving 70 mph in a 35 mph zone when she ran a red light and struck Wallace’s vehicle on the North Central Expressway service road near Monticello Avenue on Sept. 24, 2023. Expert testimony put Pollis’ blood-alcohol concentration at nearly four times the legal limit.
More witnesses were expected to testify before jurors begin deliberating on punishment.