A Dallas woman has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being convicted in a deadly 2023 drunk driving crash that claimed the life of a 19-year-old Southern Methodist University student.
Lynlee Pollis was found guilty earlier this week of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault in connection with the September 24 2023 crash that killed SMU student Honor Wallace and seriously injured her friend Catherine Solberg.
Pollis faced up to 20 years on the manslaughter charge and up to 10 years on the assault charge. The jury ultimately handed down a seven-year sentence following an emotional punishment phase that stretched across multiple days.
Evidence presented during the trial showed Pollis was traveling 70 mph in a 35 mph zone when she ran a red light on the North Central Expressway service road near Monticello Avenue and slammed into Wallace’s vehicle. Expert testimony revealed her blood alcohol concentration was nearly four times the legal limit at the time of the crash.
During the punishment phase Wallace’s mother took the stand and described her daughter as a gifted young woman who was fluent in French and Spanish and had aspirations of becoming a lawyer. Prosecutors also presented evidence from Pollis’ social media accounts including references to alcohol use and an Instagram page she created for her dog named Tequila.
Pollis’ father testified Wednesday morning about his daughter’s struggles following the crash including the loss of her mother to a sudden illness last year. He told jurors Pollis is a good person with a strong support network through her church community and said she had not been allowed to drink alcohol while living at home growing up.
Character witnesses called by the defense described Pollis as dependable responsible and active in her church. One witness testified that Pollis no longer drives and is subject to periodic alcohol testing and no longer consumes alcohol.
Prosecutors did not let those statements go unchallenged. During cross-examination one prosecutor addressed Pollis’ father directly noting that regardless of the sentence his daughter would eventually be released while the Wallace family would never see their daughter again.
Wallace’s death sent shockwaves through the SMU community and sparked renewed conversations about drunk driving enforcement in Dallas. The seven-year sentence closes the criminal chapter of a case that has left lasting grief for those who knew the young student.