WEST MONTGOMERY COUNTY- A Montgomery woman was killed around 6 a.m. on Friday in a head-on collision on FM 1488 in front of the entrance to the Mostyn Manor subdivision near Mostyn Road, east of Magnolia.
Tongi Taylor,36, of Montgomery was pronounced dead on the scene by Pct. 5 Justice of the Peace Matt Masden.
According to Trooper Joshua Pullen with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Taylor was driving a 2008 Ford Escape eastbound on FM 1488 when a westbound Ford pickup drifted into her lane. She swerved to avoid a collision, according to witnesses, but the two vehicles collided head-on anyway.
The pickup’s driver, Martin Pinon of Conroe, first told deputies he thought he fell asleep, but later said he did not know what happened.
Her SUV was severely damaged, requiring a lengthy extraction by the Magnolia Fire Department, assisted by The Woodlands Fire Department. She was pronounced dead on the scene. DPS did not reopen the roadway until after 10 a.m.
Pinon, who turns 21 next month, already has a history of problems with law enforcement, including an arrest on Oct. 18 of last year for failure to stop and give information with damage greater than $200. Pinon pleaded guilty on Dec. 18 and was sentenced to a $500 fine plus $288 in court costs.
On Oct. 19, 2008, Pinon was charged with theft, greater than $1,500 but less than $20,000 in connection with an offense that occurred Nov. 10, 2007. On Jan. 14, he was sentenced to four years probation and a $500 fine, deferred.
A Dec. 2006 charge against Pinon for driving while license invalid was dismissed.
DPS will complete the investigation and present their findings to the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office for possible charges.
