A drunk driver who caused the death of her boyfriend when she struck another vehicle in El Cajon has been sentenced to seven years in state prison.
An audience of standing room only attended the sentencing of Tania Molinar, 23, by El Cajon Superior Court Judge Patricia Cookson on June 12.
Molinar pleaded guilty March 20 to gross vehicular manslaughter in the death of David Sarabia-Lopez, 29, of El Cajon, and driving under the influence of alcohol.
A drunk driver who caused the death of her boyfriend when she struck another vehicle in El Cajon has been sentenced to seven years in state prison.
An audience of standing room only attended the sentencing of Tania Molinar, 23, by El Cajon Superior Court Judge Patricia Cookson on June 12.
Molinar pleaded guilty March 20 to gross vehicular manslaughter in the death of David Sarabia-Lopez, 29, of El Cajon, and driving under the influence of alcohol.
Molinar’s Mazda sedan collided with a Ford Ranger driven by David Dodson, 25, who was seriously injured around 4:15 a.m. on May 5, 2017 in the 1800 block of Avocado Boulevard.
The family members of Sarabia-Lopez had asked for the maximum sentence of 11 years and eight months in prison.
Cookson gave Molinar credit for serving 461 days in jail and fined her $8,834. No restitution was ordered.
Man injures police officer, pleads insanity
A man who seriously injured an El Cajon Police officer has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity.
A trial date has not been set in the case of Daniel Moses Cook, 43, but his next hearing will be on July 24 in El Cajon Superior Court.
Cook is charged with knocking officer Jose Sioson to unconsciousness on July 17, 2017 at 9:45 a.m. in the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant at 724 Fletcher Parkway in El Cajon.
Cook was ordered to stand trial on charges of felony assault upon Sioson – who is a 28-year veteran – robbery, possession of methamphetamine, resisting an executive officer, and being under the influence of meth.
Employees at a nearby Dollar store called police after Cook took two sodas from the store without paying for them. Sioson talked to Cook at the KFC, but Sioson was punched in the head repeatedly.
A bystander, Iesha Booker, used the police radio to summon other officers to come help Sioson. Surveillance video from the KFC was shown and Sioson also testified in the preliminary hearing.
Cook is 6’3” and weighs 250 pounds, according to jail records. He has been convicted of domestic violence, felony assault, and robbery, said a prosecutor.
Cook remains in jail on $500,000 bail.
Man kills mother, beats brother
An El Cajon man pleaded guilty June 15 to second-degree murder in the death of his mother who was beaten to death in 2015.
Erik Enrique Margain, 37, admitted that he fatally punched his mother, Martha Margain-Velarde, 63, in their home in the 1900 block of Hidden Crest Drive on May 17, 2015.
Erik Margain also pleaded guilty to attempted murder of his brother, Carlos Margain, 40, who was kicked, choked, and suffered broken ribs, a broken nose, and a collapsed lung.
Deputy District Attorney Matthew Carberry said Margain will receive a 24-year prison term when he is sentenced on Aug. 8 by El Cajon Superior Court Judge Robert Amador.
Carberry said Margain’s mother was punched 62 times, causing blunt force trauma to her head, neck, and torso. His brother pretended to be dead and escaped out of a window.
Carberry said Margain will be sentenced to 15 years to life for killing his mother plus nine years consecutively.
Margain was found to be mentally incompetent in February 2016 and sent to a state mental hospital. He later regained his mental competency and was returned here for trial. He remains in jail on $3 million bail.
‘Red Wing Bandit’ sentenced
The “Red Wig Bandit” who robbed a GameStop business in El Cajon and a Subway sandwich shop in Santee has been sentenced to 19 years and eight months in prison.
Michael Antonio Garcia, 36, was fined $10,963 by San Diego Superior Court Judge Robert O’Neill. He was also known as Michael Vincent and given credit for serving 188 days. He sometimes wore a red wig during the hold-ups.
He pleaded guilty to committing multiple robberies, burglary, and identity theft. Court records say he was convicted of second-degree murder in New Mexico in 2000.
