Odessa man sentenced to 30 years for DWI following train crash

MIDLAND, Texas (KMID/KPEJ) – 49-year-old Jose Maria Molina was sentenced to 30 years in prison after a Midland County jury found him guilty of felony drunk driving, according to a release by the Midland District Attorney’s Office.

Evidence showed that on June 19, 2022, Molina high-centered his vehicle on the railroad track that run parallel to Business 20 along Faudree Road in Midland County after a night of drinking. Within minutes, the vehicle was struck by a train heading west and Molina ran from the scene.

Later, Molina reportedly gave conflicting stories to officers from the Odessa Police Department who responded to the incident. A test revealed his blood alcohol content to be 1.5 times the legal limit.

Molina later admitted to having been convicted of, and sent to prison, on two prior felony DWIs, as well as two State Jail Felony offenses. This makes his fifth DWI conviction and fifth felony conviction, qualifying him as a “habitual offender.”

After the jury heard evidence on Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning, Molina was found guilty after less than 30 minutes of deliberation. Molina then agreed to a plea bargain of 30 years in the Institutional Division of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Court documents show he must serve at least one quarter of his sentence before the possibility of parole.

The offense of Driving While Intoxicated for the third time or more normally carries a penalty of two years to 10 years in prison, but Molina faced a maximum penalty of 25 years to Life, due to his prior felony convictions. As part of the plea agreement, Molina waived his right to an appeal.

Sargent Ian Kapets and Officer Michael Miller of the Odessa Police Department, Forensic Scientist Theresa Salazar of the Texas DPS Crime Labs, and a conductor with the Union Pacific Railroad all testified in the trial.

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