Lynlee Pollis sentenced to seven years for fatal DUI crash in Dallas
Lynlee Pollis, 30, was sentenced Wednesday to seven years behind bars and ten years of probation after a jury convicted her of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault for the September 2023 crash that killed 19‑year‑old Southern Methodist University student Honor Wallace and seriously injured his friend Catherine "CeCe" Solberg.
State District Judge Jennifer Balano ordered Pollis to report to jail for 15 days each year of her probation, a schedule that includes the victims’ birthdays, her own birthday, Christmas and the anniversary of the crash.
"You took the most precious gift from us through your selfishness," Honor Wallace’s father David Wallace told Pollis in court. "Own it. Own what you did."
According to testimony, Pollis was traveling about 67 miles per hour in a 35‑mph zone, ran a red light, and collided head‑on with Wallace’s Volkswagen Jetta. Blood tests taken hours after the crash showed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.294 percent—nearly four times Texas’s legal limit of 0.08 percent.
"You were so drunk and you wouldn’t admit it," Solberg’s father Bobby said during his victim impact statement. "You made us sit through this trial for three weeks. We've seen no personal accountability from you."
Wallace was pronounced dead at the hospital, while Solberg suffered a broken collarbone and a traumatic brain injury that has required ongoing medical care. Pollis sustained a fractured ankle and a minor forehead injury; her husky, Tequila, was unharmed.
The defense challenged the reliability of the blood‑alcohol evidence, arguing that the collection, storage, and testing procedures were flawed. Nevertheless, the prosecution emphasized the clear evidence of drunken driving and reckless speed, noting that Pollis’s actions were wholly predictable consequences of her choices.
The jury deliberated for roughly three hours before delivering a guilty verdict. The sentencing reflects the seriousness of the offenses, despite Pollis’s lack of prior felony convictions, and underscores the court’s commitment to holding intoxicated drivers accountable.
Pollis will begin serving her prison term immediately, after which she will be subject to the annual 15‑day jail requirements throughout her decade‑long probation period.
