A 22-year-old Roseville man who purposely crashed his car into an oncoming vehicle and injured the driver has been sentenced to state prison for five years by a Placer County Superior Court judge.
Rickey Scott Molina, who had vowed to kill himself by driving into the oncoming traffic, received the prison term August 12 from Judge Robert P. McElhany after agreeing to a plea arrangement for the assault by vehicle and other offenses.
Molina’s attorney, Jess Bedore, requested probation for his client. He said Molina has realized while sitting in the county jail that he has mental health issues. Bedore said a potential order of anger management classes and continuing therapy, rather than prison, would allow Molina to accomplish the goals of rehabilitation.
But McElhany was unmoved.
‘I”m not satisfied that the public safety will be protected,’ the judge said.
In addition to being arrested for driving his vehicle into oncoming traffic on Dec. 6, 2008, Molina was arrested in separate cases that involved having unlawful sex with a 17-year-old girlfriend and a vandalism incident.
In the driving incident, Molina, angry over a breakup with his girlfriend, told another person he was going to kill himself. He then got into his car, drove onto Lead Hill Boulevard and veered into the oncoming traffic.
Prosecutor Jeff Wilson of the Placer County District Attorney’s Office said Molina clipped one car that carried two people and then smashed into a second vehicle, injuring a woman driver.
Molina eventually pled out to three assault charges for the driving incident and to the unlawful sex and vandalism counts.
The parents of Molina’s ex-girlfriend attended the sentencing and told the judge they were fearful for their daughter and their entire family if the defendant was allowed to be free on probation.
The girl’s father said Molina’s pattern of violent behavior has affected the lives of others. The father also said his daughter had gotten phone calls from Molina despite the defendant being in jail and having a restraining order prohibiting contact with her.
The girl’s mother said her daughter’s relationship with Molina ‘turned into a nightmare.’
She said Molina attempted several suicides aimed at inflicting emotional distress on her daughter, who has undergone counseling and may need future counseling.
The girl was not present in court, but a victim’s advocate from the District Attorney’s Office read a letter that the girl had sent to the court.
The girl wrote that ‘no woman or girl should have to go through what I went through’ and that she feared retaliation from Molina.
‘I”m afraid for my life,’ the girl wrote to the court. ‘Please help me.’
Wilson, the prosecutor, was pleased with McElhany’s decision.
‘This sentence not only protects the public, but it gives the victim time to move forward with her life without the fear of Mr. Molina lurking around the corner.’
