A Texas man who was scheduled to go on trial during the current jury term has instead pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to prison.
A formal charge of first degree manslaughter was filed March 22, 2024 in Lincoln County District Court againstTravis Smith, 46, of Dallas, Texas.
Appearing before District Judge Sarah Bridge, Smith, as the result of a plea bargain, entered a guilty plea. The judge advised him of the 85 percent crime, received the plea and found Smith guilty as charged She sentenced him to 20 years in the custody of the Department of Corrections, court costs and allowed him to receive credit for time served.
Judge Bridge ordered that he report to the Court Clerk’s Office within 180 days of his released.
During his arraignment he had pleaded innocent.
Assistant District Attorney Rachel Thompson prosecuted the case for the state and Smith’s defense attorney was Kimberly Miller.
Smith was identified as the driver of a vehicle involved in a fatal traffic collision on theTurnerTurnpike in Lincoln County.
The charge states that Smith on Aug. 24, 2023, was driving a motor vehicle while under the influence of an intoxicating substance, a misdemeanor, by driving a 2018 Toyota Yaris on a public road while having an amount of methamphetamine in his blood. As a result, he injured his passenger Daniel Lineberger causing Lineberger’s death on that date.