Owner of historic Mynar’s Bar gets six years in prison after pleading guilty to fifth DWI
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - The owner of the historic Mynar’s Bar in West, Texas, was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday after he pleaded guilty to his fifth drunken driving conviction.
Judge Thomas West of 19th State District Court revoked Richard Mynar’s felony DWI probation and sentenced him to six years in prison, while sentencing him to five years in prison on Mynar’s fifth DWI conviction.
Prosecutors refused prosecution of a pending, third-degree felony collision involving injury charge as part of Mynar’s plea agreement.
Mynar, 63, will serve the two terms concurrently and must be given credit for serving at least a quarter of his six-year term before he can seek parole. A court official estimated Mynar likely will be released after serving around eight months in prison.
Mynar was on probation for DWI when he was arrested for another DWI and collision involving injuries after the mirror on his 2024 pickup truck struck three men who were changing a tire on Interstate 35 on July 14.
A deputy went to Mynar’s Waco home on Audrey Avenue and reported in arrest documents, “I immediately detected a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from his breath while he spoke.”
The deputy reported Mynar had “glassy eyes and slow, somewhat slurred speech.” Mynar told the deputy he parked his truck at his neighbor’s home.
“I had asked Mynar what happened today and he advised me he was at a friend’s house in West and had four drinks prior to driving,” an arrest affidavit alleges. “Mynar stated that while driving he was stopped by someone after they told him he hit them, he stated they began to cuss at him and he left. I did inquire why he did not call 911 and did not get a direct answer. I also inquired as to why he parked his truck at his neighbor’s house and not his and he stated that he did it sometimes.
“Another deputy spoke with that homeowner who advised him that Mynar in fact did not often park his truck at the residence,” according to the arrest document.
Mynar’s attorney, Abel Reyna, said they are glad the cases are resolved.
“While we have some serious concerns regarding the claimed accident and injuries, we are thankful that we could put these cases behind us and allow Mr. Mynar to move forward,” Reyna said.
The three men who were injured while changing the tire, Claudio Tineo, 61, of Copperas Cove, his son, Brandon Tineo, 28, and Brandon Tineo’s friend, Oliver Christy, 29, both of Georgetown, filed a lawsuit in July against Mynar and Mynar’s Bar, 121 E. Oak St. in West.
The lawsuit, filed in Waco’s 74th State District Court, alleges Mynar was driving while intoxicated and swerved onto the shoulder of Interstate 35, where he struck the three men.
“Plaintiffs all sustained injuries as a proximate cause of the crash,” according to the lawsuit. “Mr. Mynar fled the scene and found to be intoxicated at his home…”
Mynar’s Bar is being sued under that state’s Dram Shop law, which holds bars liable for damages or injuries caused by an intoxicated patron they served if the person was clearly intoxicated at the time of service and their intoxication caused the damages.
The lawsuit alleges Mynar was at Mynar’s Bar and the bar staff or Mynar himself served him alcohol “while he was in an obviously intoxicated state, when it was obvious and apparent to anyone observing that Mr. Mynar presented a clear danger to himself and others.”
“As the owner of the bar, he should not have consumed alcohol and the bar should have refused to sell alcohol to, or to serve alcohol to, Mr. Mynar in his obviously intoxicated state,” the suit alleges.
The men suffered no broken bones, but sustained lacerations on their legs and arms and possible concussions.The lawsuit remains pending.
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