The Harris County Toll Road Authority has renamed the Southwest Toll Plaza to memorialize the life of a fallen Harris County deputy constable who had roots in Liberty County. Harris County Pct. 7 Deputy Constable Jennifer L. Chavis was killed in the line of duty on April 2, 2022, and laid to rest in Liberty, Texas, near her hometown of Ames. She was 32.
Chavis was killed when her patrol vehicle was struck by a drunk driver on Beltway 8 near Fondren Road. Chavis was parked along the Beltway and was waiting to intercept a drunk driver, who hit the back of her SUV, causing it to burst into flames. The drunk driver, who attempted to flee the scene, was captured by several bystanders.
Chavis’ entire adult life was devoted to service to her community and country. After graduating from Liberty High School, she served in the U.S. military for six years. She was stationed in Germany and several African nations, and served during Operation Iraqi Freedom. When she left the military, she continued to serve her country and community by working full-time with the Texas Veterans Commission. She was a strong advocate for disabled veterans in her professional and personal life.
In 2014, she established a non-profit organization to help veterans defray costs associated with adopting and training service animals.
Chavis was a graduate of the University of Houston with a bachelor degree in Criminal Justice and after going through the police academy program. In May 2019, she received her a masters degree from Texas Southern University and was pursuing her Ph.D. She was a member of the Kappa Epsilon Psi sorority.
In 2021, she became an instructor for license to carry and the National Rifle Association. She was working to open Billion’s Gun Range, named after her son, Billion Andrew Chavis. She was devoted to her “boys” – son, Billion, and nephew, Kadence – and exploring the world and new adventures with them.
The renaming ceremony in Chavis’ honor was held on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, at the Southwest Toll Plaza. The event was attended by her mother, Tanya Childress, her loved ones and peers in law enforcement.
