Authorities believe 29-year-old Ana Flores was the driver responsible for the crash on North Wilcrest Drive that killed a 34-year-old man.
Flores has since been charged with intoxication manslaughter.
Houston police said officials have not confirmed the identity of the victim, who they said was riding in the front seat.
The crash happened around 4:30 a.m. near Memorial.
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Flores was reportedly driving a GMC Sierra southbound on Wilcrest at a high rate of speed when she left the road and crashed, according to Houston police.
The passenger died at the scene. Flores and another passenger suffered injuries and were transported to a hospital.
The driver told authorities she had been drinking at a restaurant before the crash, HPD Sgt. David Rodriguez said.
"We're still investigating the level that the alcohol played in this crash," said Sean Teare with the Harris County District Attorney's Office. "But suffice to say, typically people don't travel at that rate of speed at that time of the morning in a residential area like this, lose control and crash into a tree."
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"We're working here with HPD in conjunction to kind of determine everything, not just what happened right here, but what happened beforehand," Teare said. "What led up to this tragic set of events, not just for the people in that car, but there's a family who is not going to have a loved one come back. There's a family whose house is forever changed because there's a dead body on their front lawn. All of that is preventable. That's the message that we have to get out to everyone."