A 40-year-old Odessa man died Monday afternoon after a multi-vehicle crash on westbound Highway 80 near FM 1788 in Midland County. Miguel H. Rodriguez, a former Odessa police officer who later worked as a campus police officer at the University of Texas Permian Basin, was riding his motorcycle behind a Nissan Frontier when traffic slowed for an earlier crash ahead. A Toyota Tacoma allegedly hydroplaned in the rain while braking and struck the back of Rodriguez’s motorcycle before colliding with the Nissan. Rodriguez, who was wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene. The drivers of the Nissan and the Tacoma were not injured.
According to CBS7 (KOSA-TV), Texas Department of Public Safety troopers closed the westbound lanes of Highway 80 at FM 1788 while investigators worked the scene, and the crash remains under active investigation. CBS7 also reported that Rodriguez’s family has since set up a GoFundMe to help his wife and four children with expenses following his unexpected death. Authorities have not announced whether any citations will be issued in connection with the crash.
