Details are emerging following the tragic death of a young Houston mother who was killed after an officer slammed into her car during a high-speed chase.
Records show the officer, Harris County Deputy Dontre Thomas, had been reprimanded for failing to follow department procedure for high speed chases last year and was ordered to take a driver safety course.
On January 12, Thomas was pursuing a suspect linked to a string of robberies when he slammed into the driver's side of 22-year-old Autrey Davis' car, killing her and severely injuring her three-year-old son, Kyle Johnson, who was strapped into the seat behind her.
Davis' two-year-old daughter was strapped into the seat behind the passenger side and is at home with family, according to ABC 13. Kyle is currently fighting for his life.
"I don't know if I'm going to lose him today or tomorrow," Johnson's grandmother, Simone Davis, told the outlet last week.
Autrey Davis is one of four people killed in car crashes involving Houston-area law enforcement in recent weeks. Three of the crashes occurred as officers were responding to calls. Speed was a factor in all of the deadly crashes.
"I feel like it could have been avoided," Simone Davis said.
Disciplinary records obtained by The Chron indicate 24-year-old Thomas was reprimanded in March 2021 for violating the department policy for vehicle pursuit. As a result, he was ordered to take a two-day driver safety course and pay $400 in damages for the prior crash, which the department said he completed.
HPD's official report from the January crash says that both Thomas and Davis "disregarded a stop and go signal" but the report doesn't indicate who had a green light at the intersection at the time of crash, and eyewitness accounts reportedly place Davis' car inside the intersection when the cop cruiser sped through.
Authorities say the police vehicle involved was equipped with a dash cam, but footage won't be released without a public information request –– which is typically denied for open investigations.
"I want to see that dash cam," Andy Rubenstein, an attorney representing Davis' family said. "It's not determinative, but I do want to know what the facts are."
Reading about Black trauma can have an impact on your mental health. If you or someone you know need immediate mental health help, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. These additional resources are also available:
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255
The National Alliance on Mental Illness 1-800-950-6264
The Association of Black Psychologists 1-301-449-3082
The Anxiety and Depression Association of America 1-240-485-1001
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