On Monday Barry Lee Tarver, 54, of Cleveland, Texas was sentenced to 12-years in the Department of Criminal Justice by Montgomery County 359th District Judge Kathleen Hamilton, for his 2019
intoxication manslaughter charge. On August 10, 2019 just after 5 pm Tarver was driving his Ford F150 south on FM 1485 near Southpark tailgating other drivers and crossing into on coming traffic. That is when he hit a Toyota Corolla driven by Irma Gonzalez, 64, head-on. Firefighters worked almost 30-minutes to free her and attempted life saving measures but she was pronounced deceased. DPs investigated the crash, Tarver told Troopers on the scene that he had been heading home but couldn’t remember what happened. In talking to him Troopers learned he had just left a friends house where he had been drinking. Troopers did a field sobriety test which he failed on the scene. With his injuries he was transported to HCA Conroe where he refused to supply a specimen of his blood for testing. A warrant was obtained and signed by a judge. The blood sample was tested and found that Tarver was in fact intoxicated with a blood alcohol level of .237, almost three times the legal limit of .08. With his sentence of 12-years he must serve at least 6 of it to become eligible for parole. This due to the fact of the finding of a deadly weapon, the vehicle.
ORIGINAL STORY
Just before 5pm a Ford F-150 was southbound on FM 1485 coming from Lake Conroe. As the driver approached Mexican John Road in New Caney he crossed the center turn lane and entered the northbound lane striking a Toyota Corolla head-on. MCHD received the call at 5:06 pm within 30 seconds East Montgomery County Fire units were on the scene. It took 30 minutes to free the driver of the Toyota from the mangled wreckage and CPR was immediately started. Continuing CPR and life-saving efforts could not save the female driver. Dr. Dickson, after talking with the medics declared the female deceased at 6:02 pm. The driver of the Toyota was identified as Irma DeLangel Gonzalez, 64, of New Caney. Montgomery County Justice of the Peace Spikes ordered an autopsy be done and the victim transported to the Montgomery County Forensic Center. The driver of the Ford F-150 identified as Barry Lee Tarver, 51, of Cleveland was taken to Conroe Regional hospital in stable condition. The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office is assisting DPS in the investigation for possible charges. FM 1485 was closed until 930 as the crash was investigated. DPS has yet to determine what caused the driver to cross into the other lane. They are also awaiting results of the mandatory blood draw to determine if he was impaired.They will be looking at cell phone records and security cameras in the area to assist them in the determination. They are also asking anyone with any additional information to contact DPS New Caney or the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office Vehicular Crimes Unit.
