Midland Teen Eduardo Gaytan Arrested for Intoxication Manslaughter After Fatal Crash Kills Odessa Motorcyclist
A 19-year-old Midland man is facing serious criminal charges after a late-night crash on Fairgrounds Road claimed the life of an Odessa motorcyclist.
Eduardo Gaytan was arrested and charged with intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, a second-degree felony, following a collision that killed 47-year-old William Smedley of Odessa. Gaytan is currently being held at the Midland County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the crash happened around 11:30 p.m. on Friday, May 30, near South Fairgrounds Road and Cloverdale Road in Midland County.
Smedley was riding a 2021 Ducati motorcycle southbound on Fairgrounds Road when a 2013 Hyundai Sonata, driven by Gaytan, was traveling northbound.
Investigators say Gaytan attempted to pass an unknown vehicle by crossing into the southbound lanes without his headlights on, a requirement at that hour. The Sonata struck the Ducati head-on.
Smedley was transported to Midland Memorial Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead by medical staff. Gaytan was not physically injured in the crash.
What followed at the scene pointed to a troubling picture. According to a DPS arrest affidavit, Gaytan told a Midland County deputy he had consumed multiple alcoholic beverages before getting behind the wheel that night. He initially told officers he had drunk six tall boy beers and an unknown number of mixed drinks.
When questioned a second time, he revised that number upward to eight alcoholic beverages total.
Investigators noted several visible signs of intoxication when they encountered Gaytan. Officers reported the odor of alcohol on his breath, glassy eyes, difficulty maintaining his balance, and that he repeatedly fell asleep while being spoken to by law enforcement.
When troopers attempted to conduct standard field sobriety tests, Gaytan struggled to perform them and was unable to stay on his feet. Officers eventually stopped the testing altogether, citing concerns about his physical and mental state at the time.
Gaytan later agreed to a blood draw at Midland Memorial Hospital. While he was there, troopers received word that Smedley had died from his injuries. Gaytan was then placed under arrest and transported to the Midland County Detention Center.
Beyond the intoxication manslaughter charge, Gaytan was also cited for driving without headlights when required, driving on the wrong side of the road, failing to pass with sufficient clearance, and violating a restriction on his driver’s license. The crash remains under active investigation by the Texas Department of Public Safety.
William Smedley leaves behind a community mourning his loss. He was 47 years old and a resident of Odessa.
Intoxication manslaughter in Texas is a second-degree felony that carries a prison sentence of two to twenty years and fines of up to $10,000 upon conviction.
The charge applies when a person operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated causes the death of another individual by accident or mistake.
It was not immediately clear whether Gaytan has retained legal representation. No attorney has publicly commented on his behalf at this time. Further details are expected to be released as the investigation continues.
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