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Autrey Faith Simone Davis

Age : 23

Gender : Female

Race : Black

Date : 01/13/2022

Location : Lockwood Drive and Laura Koppe Road

City : Houston

County : Harris

State : Texas

Agency : Harris County Sheriff's Office

Officer(s) :Dontre Thomas

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Third party motorist killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

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REASON FOR CHASE: Bystander killed during pursuit of a man police linked to armed robberies at an Exxon gas station and CVS Pharmacy. A Harris County sheriff's deputy attempted to stop the vehicle after seeing a man leave the CVS wearing a mask and enter a vehicle matching the description broadcast to deputies.

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NARRATIVE:
On 01/12/2022, 22-year-old Autrey Faith Simone Davis was killed when a Harris County Sheriff's Office patrol vehicle driven by Deputy Dontre Thomas crashed into her Kia Borrego during a high-speed police pursuit at Laura Koppe Road and Lockwood Drive in northeast Houston. Davis was traveling with her two young children and was not involved in the pursuit.
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The pursuit began after robberies at an Exxon gas station and a CVS Pharmacy. Authorities said Thomas saw a man leaving the CVS wearing a mask and entering a vehicle matching the description associated with the robberies. When Thomas attempted to stop the vehicle, its driver continued away and Thomas pursued. The driver was later identified as DaVonte Williams.
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Investigators said the pursuit reached speeds exceeding 80 to 90 mph. Shortly before 11 p.m., Thomas was driving his marked patrol vehicle eastbound on Laura Koppe Road with its emergency lights and siren activated when he entered the intersection with Lockwood Drive.
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Davis was driving her black Kia Borrego northbound on Lockwood Drive when Thomas' patrol vehicle struck her vehicle. The impact caused Davis' Kia to roll over and collide with a white Acura TLX and a white Mitsubishi sedan. Thomas' patrol vehicle continued into a nearby parking lot, struck several additional vehicles and caught fire. The collision ultimately involved seven vehicles.
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Davis was pronounced dead following the collision. Her two children were injured. Her young son, Kyle Johnson, suffered particularly severe injuries and required multiple brain surgeries. Davis' daughter was also hospitalized.
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Bystanders pulled Thomas from his burning patrol vehicle. He was hospitalized with serious injuries, including a broken hip. Williams was not involved in the collision and continued away from the scene. He was arrested the following day.
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Williams was charged federally with interference with commerce by robbery and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Harris County authorities also pursued charges including aggravated robbery and evading arrest resulting in death.
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The Houston Police Department Vehicular Crimes Division investigated the fatal collision. The Harris County District Attorney's Office also investigated Thomas' conduct and presented the case to a grand jury. On June 28, 2022, the grand jury declined to indict Thomas in connection with Davis' death. .
OFFICER BACKGROUND:
Deputy Dontre Thomas was 24 years old and had been with the Harris County Sheriff's Office for approximately three years at the time of the fatal pursuit. Records obtained after Davis' death showed that Thomas had previously been disciplined for violating the sheriff's office pursuit policy.
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On March 24, 2021, Thomas participated in an earlier vehicle pursuit. An internal investigation determined that he violated department policy during that pursuit, and in July 2021 he received a written reprimand and was ordered to complete a driver-safety course. The January 2022 crash that killed Davis occurred approximately six months after that discipline.
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Following Davis' death, the Harris County Sheriff's Office opened another internal investigation into Thomas' actions. Later reporting states that Thomas was subsequently fired from the sheriff's department.
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The fatal crash was captured by surveillance video, and Davis' family, represented by attorneys Ben Crump and Andy Rubenstein, publicly sought release of Thomas' dash-camera footage and questioned the necessity and speed of the pursuit.

SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2022/jan/nr011322-1.htm
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/01/13/pursuit-involving-robbery-suspect-ends-up-in-crash-that-kills-woman-injures-2-children-deputy-in-ne-houston-hpd/
https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/crime/article/Woman-dead-after-vehicle-pursuit-of-suspected-16772354.php
https://abc13.com/post/davonte-williams-autrey-davis-cvs-robbery-suspect-arrest-deadly-chase/11468447/
https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/Harris-County-cop-who-crashed-killed-young-16813720.php
https://www.click2houston.com/news/local/2022/07/14/harris-co-deputy-issued-no-bill-after-high-speed-chase-claims-life-of-23-year-old-mother/
https://abc13.com/harris-county-deputy-involved-crash-fatal-innocent-driver-killed-in-during-chase/12049526/
https://abc13.com/houston-crime-autrey-davis-mom-killed-in-crash-child-hospitalized-after-fatal-car/11506331/