On Monday night, former Dallas City Council member Carolyn Davis was killed when a suspected drunk driver slammed into the car she was driving on East Ledbetter Road in east Oak Cliff. Dallas News is reporting that the crash was a result of a drunk driver crashing into Davis’ car. According to police, the driver of a blue Mazda SUV was traveling eastbound in the westbound lane of Ledbetter near Sarah Zumwalt Middle School around 7:45 p.m. that night.
Police say that the former City Council member was pronounced dead at Baylor University Medical Center. There is also reports that there was a second passenger with Davis, who is “believed to be her daughter,” according to police who spoke to Dallas News. Davis’ daughter was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The driver of the Mazda SUV was arrested and is facing charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. Dallas police have yet to make an official announcement.
Several of her colleagues took to social media to express their sympathy and grief, commenting on the work of Council member Davis, who served four terms on the council, from 2007 to 2015. She was frequently seen at City Hall in the years after her tenure, usually advocating on behalf of low-income housing developers.
Her death comes after controversy surrounding her record, especially with regard to her work as chair of the council’s Housing Committee. Davis plead guilty to taking bribes from real estate developers during her time in office.
Davis was an activist, who campaigned on the promise of ridding South Dallas of drugs and crime and bringing more economic development to the area.
