A Texas City commissioner charged in a crash that killed a father and his son has been released from custody. Authorities say she admitted to smoking marijuana before the incident.
Authorities held Dee Ann Haney after the crash on northbound I-45 near the Galveston Causeway at 12:55 a.m. Monday.
Law enforcement at the scene said two men were standing outside of a stopped black truck when a woman in another pickup hit them. The men died from the crash.
Police said the men and another person were trying to secure items in the bed of the truck when the crash happened. Authorities identified the men killed as Van Duoc Le, 59, and his son Phue Hong Le, 33.
The woman in the other truck was taken to a nearby hospital and then booked into Galveston County Jail. Authorities said the driver, who was identified as 54-year-old Haney, is being charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter in connection with the crash.
In a probable cause affidavit, a trooper told investigators that Haney was under the influence of marijuana and that she admitted to smoking pot before the crash. Troopers determined marijuana intoxication after a field sobriety test.
A magistrate judge set Haney’s bond at $100,000. As part of the conditions, Haney will have to install a breathalyzer in her vehicle. Additionally, she is not allowed into any place that serves primarily alcohol.
Texas City Mayor Matthew Doyle confirmed to Eyewitness News that Haney is a sitting commissioner-at-large for the city. The mayor is out of the country and did not immediately comment on the crash.
Haney is also an employee of Texas A&M University at Galveston, working as a lab safety and training coordinator.
The university released a statement following the crash:
“We learned this morning that an employee of Texas A&M University at Galveston, Dee Ann Haney, was involved in a vehicle accident last night that resulted in two deaths. Our deepest condolences go to the families of those who lost their lives.”
