Mariano Molinar, Child Killed, 3 Others Injured in Car Accident near Midland, TX

Basic Facts

Crash date: February 19, 2026

Crash location: State Highway 349 near mile marker 316 in Martin County, TX

People involved:

• Mariano Molinar, 23
• Unidentified Ford driver
• Unidentified Ford passenger
• Unidentified Ford passenger
• Unidentified Ford passenger, 7

Do authorities suspect alcohol played a role in this crash? Unknown

Did authorities recommend criminal charges? No

Do authorities suspect a product defect caused the crash? Unknown

Accident Report

Martin County, TX — February 19, 2026, Mariano Molinar and a child were killed and three other people were injured in a car accident at about 8 p.m. on State Highway 349.

Authorities said a northbound 2022 Dodge Challenger was attempting a U-turn near mile marker 316 when it collided with a southbound 2009 Ford F-150.

Dodge driver Mariano Molinar, 23, and a 7-year-old Lamesa boy in the Ford died from injuries suffered in the crash near the Midland County line, according to authorities.

Three other people in the pickup suffered unspecified injuries in the crash, authorities said

Authorities have not released any additional information about the Martin County crash at this time.

How Did This Accident Occur?

Crashes like this, with one vehicle in the middle of a sharp turn, require more than a brief summary.

Investigators should rely on all of the tools at their disposal to sort out who is responsible for this crash. Have they talked to eyewitnesses, checked for dashcam footage and downloaded crash data from each vehicle?

Most folks rely on police to handle crash investigations, while those who seek more answers often seek an outside investigation. What do you think happened here?