The victim of an intoxication manslaughter accident in Dallas Tuesday is 72-year-old Nancy Jo Dennington.
The woman’s address on Cole Avenue is just blocks from the crash scene on Avondale Road between Fitzhugh and Turtle Creek Boulevard.
Police said Dennington was walking on the narrow sidewalk along Avondale when she was hit by an Audi sedan that also knocked over a light pole.
Later Tuesday, Dallas police identified the driver of the Audi as Ryan Crews. He faces a charge of intoxication manslaughter.
Crews was found guilty of driving while intoxicated in 2014. He was sentenced to 180 days in the Dallas County Jail, 24 months of probation, and a $1,000 fine.
An earlier release from the Dallas Police Department said the driver of the Audi was 30 years old.
Several young men working at a home above the wall beside Avondale rushed to help the victim.
Alex Browning said he was the first one there.
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“My friends helped me get over the wall, and we saw the lady laid out. So we jumped over. A couple other people came by. We tried to help, threw our jackets on her and waited until the ambulance came,” Browning said.
Co-worker Isiah Robinson helped Browning.
“He yelled to get blankets, and I threw a blanket. We did as much as we could. We called 911,” Robinson said.
They were emotional after they watched the victim’s final moments alive.
“She was for a bit, until the ambulance came. She had a couple more minutes to live,” Browning said.
Police said the victim was transported by a Highland Park ambulance to Parkland Hospital where she was pronounced dead.
The witnesses said Crews did nothing to help.
“No, no. He was actually very intoxicated. He stepped out of the vehicle. Just stood there for a while,” Browning said.
The section of Avondale Road where the wreck occurred has three lanes of traffic where cars move fast with a narrow sidewalk with walls.
The witnesses said there were no skid marks and the victim may never have known what was coming from behind as she walked along the road.
“To see that happen, who would want that around the holidays, to a mother, a grandma, or anyone,” Robinson said.
