Man gets 1 year for car crash in Smyrna that killed young doctor
May 4—A Smyrna man will spend one year behind bars after he pleaded guilty to first degree vehicular homicide in a car crash that killed a young doctor.
Brent Douglas Davis, 52, was sentenced to a one-year jail sentence, to be followed by 14 years probation, for his involvement in a January 2020 car wreck which killed 26-year-old Dr. Tyler Wallace, according to Davis' plea deal.
Wallace was leaving from the location of his continued medical education courses when Davis' vehicle struck his car on Jan. 18, 2020, according to a GoFundMe page created by Wallace's family.
According to an arrest warrant, Davis crashed his Toyota Tundra into the driver's side door of Wallace's Chrysler 200 as Davis turned into the driveway of the Highlands Grove Business Park. Wallace was exiting the driveway and turning on to Highlands Parkway.
A police investigation found Davis was driving 54 mph in a 45 mph zone, the warrant states.
"Further evidence shows the driver of the Toyota Tundra did not let off the accelerator and apply the brakes until approximately one second before impact, and the driver of the Toyota Tundra turned into the Chrysler when there was enough room to the left lane to avoid the vehicle," the warrant adds.
Smyrna fire and rescue personnel cut the hinges off of the driver's side front door of the Chrysler to extract Wallace from the wreckage, the warrant states.
The Smyrna police officer who responded to the crash said Davis was "unsteady on his feet and staggering," had slurred speech, stuttered heavily and had breath that smelled of both an Arby's sandwich and mouthwash or a mint.
The officer proceeded to ask Davis if he had been drinking, and Davis said he had not as he looked away and crossed his arms, the warrant states.
The officer asked Davis multiple times if he had been drinking earlier that day, to which Davis responded he had not each time while failing to make eye contact, according to the warrant.
After the officer asked him if he would submit to sobriety tests, Davis called someone on his cell phone and asked if he should do the tests, the warrant says. After hanging up, Davis told the officer he would not submit to the tests.
After that, the officer arrested Davis on suspicion of driving under the influence.
Later that evening, police obtained a search warrant for Davis' vehicle, where they found a small bottle of mouthwash atop the center console that was empty, a box of breath mints inside the console, a brown Arby's bag in the front passenger seat, a Yeti cooler on the floor behind the passenger seat with ice and an unopened can of Coors Light and a black gym bag that contained two unopened Coors Light cans, the warrant states.
Initially charged with vehicular homicide and DUI, Davis was indicted in March 2021 on two counts of vehicular homicide. He was not indicted for DUI.
According to his plea deal, Davis must be evaluated for substance abuse upon his release date, and treatment for substance abuse would follow 30 days after the evaluation.
Davis will also be required to enroll in and complete the DUI Risk Reduction School, complete a Mothers Against Drunk Driving Impact Panel and pay restitution to Wallace's family, per the plea deal.
Davis will be incarcerated at the Cobb County Adult Detention Center, the plea deal states.
