Man charged in Cypress father's death after deadly crash was repeat DWI offender

CYPRESS, Texas (KTRK) -- A man with five DWIs on his record is facing murder charges after being involved in a deadly wreck with a husband and father from Cypress.

The Harris County District Attorney's Office says the tragedy in all of this is the wreck could have been prevented.

Wayne Childers had the misfortune Friday night of crossing paths with Owen McNett, according to prosecutors.

The Harris County Sheriff's Office said McNett was intoxicated when he blew through a stop sign at Telge and Boudreaux in northwest Harris County, hitting and killing Childers, who was driving through the intersection.

But this isn't the first time McNett has been in trouble for DWI.

Driver facing charges after deadly drunk driving crash in Cypress


Eyewitness News found multiple convictions from around the state.

"Three of them being felonies, and in fact, he is on parole as we sit here today," says Sean Teare, chief of the Harris County Vehicular Crimes Division.

Teare was at the deadly crash scene Friday, and is determined to keep McNett from offending again.

"When you're dealing with a DWI third or more, we don't charge them with intoxication manslaughter anymore, we charge them with felony murder," Teare said.

If found guilty, McNett faces a penalty of 25 years to life in prison.