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FATAL DUI CRASH – BOND REDUCTION DENIED

Troup Woman’s Bond Reduction Denied in Deadly Drunk-Driving Crash on Toll 49 Near Tyler

Beverly Law
Published by Beverly Law
September 5, 2026 · 4 min read
Toll 49 near State Highway 31, Tyler, TX
Open Street View ↗
Street View of Toll 49 near its interchange with State Highway 31 in Tyler, Texas, close to where the fatal head-on crash occurred. Source: Google Maps.
KEY DETAILS
DATE & TIME
The head-on crash happened on Toll 49 in Smith County at about 3:15 p.m. on September 5, 2026.
LOCATION
Toll 49 near State Highway 31, Tyler, TX
VICTIM
70-year-old Sally Macher of Flint was killed, and her husband, 69-year-old David Gerard Macher, was seriously injured and hospitalized; the driver of the other vehicle was also taken to a hospital.
ROAD CLOSURES
Toll 49 was shut down in the area for several hours while emergency crews and Texas DPS troopers worked the scene.
INVESTIGATION
DPS troopers investigated and arrested Kaci Nicole Harrison, 31, of Troup on Aug. 24; a judge denied her request to lower her $1 million bond on Sept. 3, citing her alleged blood alcohol level of .246.

A judge in Smith County, Texas, has denied a request to lower the $1 million bond set for a Troup woman accused of causing a deadly drunk-driving crash on Toll 49 near Tyler. Kaci Nicole Harrison, 31, allegedly drove her Jeep SUV into oncoming traffic on Aug. 13, striking a Toyota SUV head-on and killing 70-year-old Sally Macher of Flint. Macher’s husband, David Gerard Macher, 69, was seriously injured in the crash and hospitalized. Harrison faces charges of intoxication manslaughter and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, Judge Austin Reeve Jackson denied the bond-reduction request during a hearing, citing Harrison’s alleged blood alcohol concentration, which court records show was more than three times the legal limit. The outlet reported that Texas Department of Public Safety troopers investigated the crash and that Harrison was arrested on Aug. 24, nearly two weeks after the collision. The case remains pending in Smith County as Harrison awaits trial on both charges.

X
Tyler Morning Telegraph
@TylerPaper · Sep 5, 2026

Bond reduction denied for Troup woman accused of driving while drunk, causing deadly Toll 49 crash

Tyler Morning Telegraph
Photo: Tyler Morning Telegraph
Sep 5, 2026 · View on X

Where It Happened

Toll 49 (Tyler’s toll loop) just south of its interchange with State Highway 31 in Smith County, Texas

Interactive map — crash location
Street View — crash location
SOURCESTyler Morning Telegraph·KLTV

What the Law Says

Texas Penal Code Section 49.08 makes it a second-degree felony to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated and, as a result, cause the death of another person. Prosecutors do not have to prove ordinary negligence — proof of intoxication combined with a fatal crash is enough to support the charge. A conviction can carry two to twenty years in prison, and the statute also allows victims’ families to pursue separate civil claims for wrongful death.

Texas Transportation Code Section 545.051 requires drivers to keep to the right half of the roadway except in specific passing situations, and crossing into oncoming traffic is treated as strong evidence of negligence in a civil case. When a driver veers into an opposing lane and causes a head-on collision, that violation can support both the criminal charges and a civil personal injury or wrongful death claim brought by the surviving victims.

This summary is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its specific facts.

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If you lost a loved one in this accident, our attorneys can help you understand your options. Free consultation, English & Spanish, and no fee unless we win.

Editorial note: Beverly Law publishes accident reports as a public service, based on information from official traffic authorities, local news outlets, and public records. If you are a family member of the victim and would like information added, corrected, or removed, please contact our editorial team: intakeassistant5@beverlylaw.org

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