FORT WORTH, TX — DeAujalae Evans pleaded guilty Thursday to intoxication manslaughter in the wrong-way drunk driving crash that killed Fort Worth Police Sergeant Billy Randolph in August 2024, just hours before opening statements were set to begin in her trial.
The guilty plea by the 26-year-old woman came after prosecutors were prepared to present evidence that Evans consumed 10 shots of liquor before driving the wrong way on Interstate 35W and striking the 29-year veteran officer. Evans was originally charged with intoxication manslaughter of a peace officer, which carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, but pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of intoxication manslaughter, which carries a maximum of 20 years. The jury will now determine her punishment during the sentencing phase.
Randolph was working an early-morning crash scene on an Interstate 35W ramp around 2 a.m. on August 12, 2024, when Evans drove through the accident scene and struck him. According to the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office, the sergeant was investigating a crash where a tractor-trailer had hit a guardrail, caught fire and spilled fuel. Police said Evans was driving the wrong way up the ramp when she hit Randolph, who was standing outside his patrol vehicle. The officer was transported to a hospital where he died from his injuries.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained by investigators, Evans did not attempt to stop after hitting Randolph and continued driving for more than a quarter of a mile before stopping her 2020 Nissan Versa. When she finally stopped, Evans ran away from the scene, jumped over a wall, and headed toward a nearby Motel 6 off the highway, where officers caught up with her and made the arrest. Police said Evans appeared intoxicated and later admitted to consuming about 10 shots of alcohol over four hours prior to driving. She also failed a field sobriety test, and a preliminary breath test showed Hunt had a blood alcohol level of 0.036% about 90 minutes after the crash occurred.
At the time of the fatal crash, Evans was on probation for a previous conviction in which she pleaded guilty to shooting a woman in 2023, according to court records. She had been sentenced to six years of probation for that aggravated assault with a deadly weapon case. As part of her probation conditions, Evans was prohibited from using, possessing or consuming any alcohol, making her drinking before the crash a violation of her supervised release. The previous conviction adds another layer of legal consequences Evans now faces as the jury considers her punishment in the manslaughter case.
Randolph served with the Fort Worth Police Department for 29 years and was assigned to the South Patrol Division when he was killed. Then-Police Chief Neil Noakes described Randolph as a hard-working officer and loving husband and father. About a year after his death, the department renamed its South Patrol Division Headquarters to honor Sergeant Randolph’s life and service. Beronica Fullbright, who worked with Randolph for nine years, said he was a good supervisor who loved his friends, family and community. “He had a huge heart. He’s so humble. He’s funny. He’s a friend anybody could ask for,” Fullbright said.
The trial had been postponed in 2025 after potential jurors were dismissed, though court documents did not indicate the specific reason for the delay. No cameras were allowed in the courtroom during Thursday’s proceedings when Evans entered her guilty plea. In the immediate aftermath of Randolph’s death, Fort Worth officers lined the streets outside the hospital for a processional, and a funeral service was held where tributes to his nearly three decades of service were shared. The Fort Worth community rallied around Randolph’s family, with witnesses to his dedication like Javier Alvaran saying the sergeant was “out there in the morning providing a service for the community” and “risking his life.”
Evans now awaits sentencing as the jury deliberates on her punishment for the intoxication manslaughter conviction. The case represents one of the most serious drunk driving prosecutions in recent Tarrant County history, involving the death of a longtime police officer killed while protecting the community during a routine traffic incident response.
