Garland Woman Sentenced To 15 Years In Deaths Of Lucas Couple

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McKINNEY (CBSDFW.COM) – A Collin County jury sentenced a Garland woman to 15 years in prison for two counts of manslaughter.

Connie Sue Cason, 49, recklessly caused the deaths of Dale and Laura Thomas according to Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.

According to a news release from the DA's office, on the morning of August 25, 2013, the Thomas's left their home in Lucas to attend Sunday church service at East Fork Baptist Church in McKinney, where Dale taught Bible school and both sang in the choir.

Less than a mile from their home, they entered the two-lane, mile-long bridge over Lake Lavon on FM 3286.

Cason, heading in the opposite direction, suddenly veered across the yellow divider lane directly into the Thomas' lane of travel. Driver Dale Thomas attempted to avoid Cason's vehicle by moving onto the shoulder, but Cason hit the Thomas' truck head-on at approximately 60 miles per hour, pinning their truck and pushing it backwards along the guardrail of the bridge.

Laura Thomas was killed instantly. Dale Thomas was alive upon arrival of fire department and EMS personnel, but was pronounced dead a short time later at Medical Center of Plano.

Cason told emergency responders on scene she believed she fell asleep.

Emergency personnel took Cason to Medical Center of Plano, where she told medical staff that she smoked methamphetamine earlier that morning. Cason's medical records also indicated that methamphetamine was present in her body.

Cason was charged with two counts of manslaughter for recklessly causing the Thomas' deaths by failing to maintain a single lane, failing to control her vehicle, failing to keep a proper lookout, failing to timely apply her brakes, failing to stay awake, and for the introduction of an illegal controlled substance into her body prior to operating a motor vehicle.

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