On March 29, 2024, Breanna Rena Simmons, 32, crashed her vehicle into a tree on Turkey Road in Upshur County, Texas, while driving intoxicated with three children under fifteen years old in the vehicle. One of the children, a three-year-old, was unrestrained, with no car seat or booster seat in the SUV. All three children sustained severe injuries and were transported to the hospital.
The crash occurred around 5:51 p.m. as Simmons reportedly drove north on Turkey Road at a high speed before turning around and accelerating again. Witnesses reported seeing her “flying by” in a red SUV. Investigators determined her speedometer was locked at approximately 64 mph, nearly triple the posted speed limit of 25 mph. The impact of the crash caused the vehicle’s engine to be thrown into a ditch opposite the crash site.
A toxicology report showed Simmons had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.180, more than twice the legal limit, approximately three hours after the crash.
On November 12, 2024, Simmons pled guilty to three counts of Intoxication Assault with a Vehicle with a Deadly Weapon and Driving While Intoxicated with Child Passenger with a Deadly Weapon. She was sentenced to five years in prison for each count, totaling 15 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Simmons must serve at least half her sentence before becoming eligible for parole.
Texas Highway Patrol investigator Trooper James Payne conducted the investigation.
