ALBANY — A woman in her late 60s was recently the victim of an early morning hit-and-run crash that’s left her with multiple serious injuries. The man accused in the crash was charged with driving while intoxicated, and records show that this isn’t his first time getting behind the wheel after allegedly drinking.
“He’s going to kill somebody. If he’s put back on the street, he is going to kill somebody’s mom or dad, and it’s not going to end well,” the victim’s son told UWK.
It was around 4:30 Monday morning when Cindy Macias was heading east on Hwy. 190, going to work at the Tickfaw Post Office. Another vehicle crossed over into her lane, her son says, and thanks to quick thinking, Cindy Macias was able to swerve her vehicle. However, she was still struck by the approaching vehicle.
“This could have been a really different situation if my mom wouldn’t have reacted and swerved the way she did, because he ended up hitting her on the passenger side, because she swung into his lane because he was all the way in her lane. When she did that, she saved herself, because that impact that was on that passenger side, the driver side would have took the whole brunt of,” James Macias, Cindy’s son, told UWK.
Cindy Macias, who has been with the post office for 44 years, is still trying to recover from her injuries in the crash, which included two broken ribs and some spine issues, her son said. She was discharged from the hospital late Monday, but she’ll need further care for her spine.
Previous record for man accused in crash
The person accused in causing the Albany-area crash has a record of driving while intoxicated, UWK has researched. James Macias says he had to post on social media asking for help finding the driver because the man allegedly ran off on foot after the incident. He was found later that day and State Police troopers arrested him.
James T. Middleton, 36, was charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated (third offense), hit and run, driving under suspension for certain offenses (DWI), negligent vehicular injuring, driving left of center, driver’s license required (no driver’s license), no seatbelt, and ignition interlock device offenses.
State Police tells UWK the injuries and the pending outcome of the investigation dictate whether his charges could be upgraded.
This is Middleton’s third-offense driving while intoxicated since November 2025, according to court records.
Previous DWI offenses
On Nov. 8, 2025, James T. Middleton was operating a vehicle with a BAC level over twice the legal limit of 0.164, records show. He was charged with first-offense operating while impaired, one count of vehicular negligent injuring, one count of careless operation, one count operating a vehicle without a driver’s license, one count possession of alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, one count of operating a vehicle with an expired license plate, and one count of expired motor vehicle inspection.
On May 10, 2026, Middleton was again charged with operating while impaired. This time, he allegedly had a BAC level of 0.136, records show. He was also charged with operating a vehicle while under suspension for certain prior offenses and following too closely (two car crash).
In July 2026, Middleton went before a judge in both matters. He pleaded no contest to two DWI charges, one of which was amended to a BAC 0.149 (down from 0.164), with the remaining charges dropped. These two misdemeanor convictions mean that any subsequent DWI convictions could see a harsher penalty, said Livingston Parish Assistant District Attorney Brett Sommer.
A third-offense DWI or higher is considered a felony, while previous offenses are misdemeanors. Sommer added that if a person in convicted on a charge of hit-and-run with serious bodily injury after two DWI convictions, they face a harsher penalty of not more than 20 years in jail.
A judge sentenced Middleton to six months in parish prison and all six months were suspended. Middleton was also given two years of probation and ordered to complete 32 hours of community service, a driver improvement program, victim impact panel, and a substance abuse program. During his probation, he was to submit to random drug and alcohol screens and must install an interlock device on his vehicle, court records show. He was to return to court in October.
James Macias says something has to be done. “He’s going to kill somebody. If he’s put back on the street, he is going to kill somebody’s mom or dad, and it’s not going to end well. This doesn’t end well. There’s far too many stories.”
Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area.
Support UWK and its mission to deliver The News You Deserve. Unfiltered. Become a monthly patron on Patreon today!
