Trial begins for former Texas City commissioner accused of manslaughter

The trial for a former Texas City commissioner facing manslaughter charges began on Monday. Dee Ann Haney is accused of hitting and killing two people on the Galveston Causeway back in 2017. 

The jury was selected on the first day of the trial. The litigation has been delayed several times.

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The 61-year-old is currently facing two charges of manslaughter for a crash that killed a father and son in Galveston. Fifty-eight-year-old Van and his son were securing the cargo in the back of their truck when prosecutors say Haney sideswiped their pick-up and killed them. 

According to initial court documents, Haney showed signs of impairment at the scene and admitted to smoking marijuana earlier in the day. Since then, the intoxicated manslaughter charge has been downgraded to two counts of manslaughter.

Haney was first elected as city commissioner in May 2004 and was re-elected to a seventh term in 2016. She also served on dozens of boards of directors, including the Houston-Galveston Area Council.

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Following the deadly crash, Haney has been free on bond for six and a half years due to her trial being pushed back multiple times.

Opening statements for the trial will begin on Tuesday.