Police: Drunk driver who hit, killed Euless detective served 8 cocktails by 'negligent' bartender
LAKE WORTH, Texas (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Newly released video from the Lake Worth Police Department shows the moments before and after an overserved man hit and killed a Euless detective with his car.
Around 1:33 p.m. on Nov. 27, 2021, Lake Worth police were sent to the 4200 block of Boat Club Road in response to a crash involving a 2021 Jeep Wrangler and a 2013 Chevrolet Impala.
While officers were in route, callers reported that one driver was attempting to flee by foot. Neighbors and bystanders managed to apprehend him until police arrived and took him into custody. He was shortly identified as 27-year-old Dylan Molina of Lake Worth.
The driver of the Impala, Alejandro "Alex" Cervantes, was killed in the crash. His wife, Priscilla, and their two children were also badly injured.
Cervantes had served for the Euless Police Department for nearly seven years and was a a member of the department's Honor Guard Team. He had previously served eight years for the El Paso Police Department.
After the crash, Molina reportedly had a strong smell of alcohol on his breath and was charged with one count of intoxication manslaughter and three counts of intoxication assault.
Former Fuzzy's Taco Shop bartender Cara Richardson was arrested earlier this month for overserving him.
Within a three-hour period—starting at 10:40 a.m.—the 26-year-old served Molina eight double vodka/Red Bull cocktails.
10:40 a.m. — Molina is served his first double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
10:56 a.m. — Molina is served his second double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
11:16 a.m. — Molina is served his third double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
11:39 a.m. — Molina is served his fourth double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
12:03 p.m. — Molina is served his fifth double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
12:32 p.m. — Molina is served his sixth double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
12:54 p.m. — Molina is served his seventh double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
1:12 p.m. — Molina is served his eighth and final double vodka/Red Bull cocktail
Around 1:30 p.m., Molina got in his car and began driving. He ran a red light and plowed into Cervantes' vehicle just minutes later.
According to Richardson's arrest warrant, camera footage showed that after Molina's seventh drink, he began exhibiting common signs of intoxication, like approaching individuals at the bar with a "loose" and "belligerent" body posture and hugging/touching another customer that he didn't appear to be acquainted with.
However, Richardson said she had not noticed any indicator of intoxication "until the minutes prior to the departure from the bar," the warrant stated.
When asked by police how many drinks Molina consumed in total, Richardson said about six. She later admitted that he was served eight and that she poured him the eighth drink without knowing if he had consumed the seventh.
Because of this, police determined Richardson acted with criminal negligence and charged her accordingly. Her bond was set at $1,000.
