Kaci Nicole Harrison, 31, of Troup, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in connection with an Aug. 13 crash on Toll 49 in Smith County that killed Sally Macher, 70, of Flint. The charge stems from an affidavit which states Harrison's blood alcohol level was .246, well above the .08 legal limit for intoxication in Texas. Harrison was arrested on August 24 and booked into the Smith County Jail on a $500,000 bond.
The affidavit states the collision occurred around 3:15 p.m. when Harrison, traveling southbound on TL-49, failed to maintain a single lane and crossed into the northbound lane. Her vehicle struck Macher's vehicle, which was traveling northbound. Sally Macher was killed in the crash. David Gerard Macher, 69, a passenger in Macher's vehicle, was taken to a hospital for serious bodily injuries. Harrison, the sole occupant of her vehicle, also received hospital treatment for injuries sustained in the incident.
DPS troopers interviewed Harrison at the hospital following the crash, an interaction recorded on a body camera. During the interview, Harrison stated "I don’t know" when asked about her involvement in the crash and did not know what other vehicle was involved. The affidavit notes that Harrison smelled of alcohol, and box wine containers were found in her vehicle. When hospital staff inquired about her location, Harrison said "Dallas" and mentioned coming from "a dinner" in "South Dallas," though she could not recall where she ate.
Harrison told troopers she drank a Sprite and water to calm down after drinking earlier, and admitted to having "drank some wine earlier." She specified consuming two glasses approximately two to three hours before the crash. When asked if she drank a lot of wine, she indicated it might be a lot "for me." Harrison provided a voluntary blood sample, and an additional blood sample collected by hospital staff was later seized by law enforcement via court order. A toxicological analysis conducted by the DPS confirmed her blood alcohol level at .246.
Harrison remains in custody at the Smith County Jail. The case against her for intoxication manslaughter will proceed through the legal system in Smith County.
