FORT WORTH, Texas — The lawyer for a woman accused of hitting and killing a Fort Worth police sergeant working a crash earlier this month has filed a request seeking a bail reduction, records show.
De Aujalae Evans, the suspect, was charged with intoxication manslaughter causing the death of a peace officer or firefighter. Police say she hit and killed Sgt. Billy Randolph as he worked an accident on I-35 on the morning of Aug. 12.
The request filed Thursday morning argues Evans is illegally confined and restrained of liberty at the Tarrant County Jail with a bond exceeding $750,000.
"[Evans'] confinement and restraint is illegal because bond is excessive, oppressive and beyond the financial means of [Evans] in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution," the request states.
The request asks for the court to hold an evidentiary hearing and to reduce the bail to a reasonable amount so Evans will have an opportunity to be released pending trial.
Evans allegedly told officers that she had around 10 shots of alcohol before the crash happened the morning Randolph was killed, according to an arrest warrant affidavit.
She also did not stop driving for another quarter-mile after hitting the officer, the affidavit said.
Evans was arrested at the scene after running to a nearby Motel 6 parking lot, according to the arrest warrant affidavit obtained by WFAA.
The affidavit said Randolph was standing on a highway off-ramp when Evans, driving a 2020 Nissan Versa, went the wrong way on the ramp and hit him.
The crash threw Randolph into the air, and he landed on the roadway, according to the affidavit.
The affidavit said Evans "made no attempt to stop" after hitting Randolph and continued driving for about a quarter of a mile. When she stopped, the affidavit said, she ran away, jumped over a wall and went toward a Motel 6 located off the highway.
Officers caught up to her and put her in custody.
One of the officers "noted the odor of an alcoholic beverage" on Evans' breath and saw that her eyes were watery and her speech was slurred, the affidavit said.
