The information of Jose Lara Garcia’s case have been “a tragic, tragic set of occasions,” District Choose Daybreak Moody mentioned at his sentencing listening to Tuesday, “however definitely (what occurred that night time was) not an accident.”
Lara Garcia, 25, was formally sentenced Tuesday after coming into a blind plea two months in the past to an amended cost of first-degree manslaughter within the March 2021 dying of 19-year-old Nathaly Medina.
Medina was one among two passengers in Lara Garcia’s automotive about 3 a.m. that March 29, when Lara Garcia fled from Tulsa police who have been making an attempt to cease him for reckless driving close to 61st Avenue and Peoria Avenue.
Rushing west, he misplaced management of his automotive at 61st Avenue’s T-intersection with Riverside Drive. The automotive careened off the darkish financial institution of the Arkansas River, hit a big rock and flipped finish over finish into the water, Assistant Public Defender Kyle Killam mentioned.
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All three occupants have been ejected, however Lara Garcia was the one one acutely aware after the crash, and police caught him as he tried to swim away.
One other occupant floated face down within the water, and an officer pulled that man to shore. He was hospitalized in essential situation and survived critical accidents, audio system mentioned Tuesday, however Medina was nowhere to be discovered.
First responders did not know there was a 3rd occupant to seek for till Lara Garcia advised them a number of hours later.
Stating that she had watched all police physique digicam footage associated to the case, Moody described seeing a number of officers repeatedly ask Lara Garcia how many individuals had been within the car — he mentioned two — and the clear shock proven by interviewing officers and Lara Garcia’s hospital physician when he lastly talked about the sleeping woman within the again seat.
Rescue crews tried to search out Medina at dawn, however they recovered solely the automotive. When the water stage was lowered the following day, they discovered her physique not removed from the place the mangled automotive was recovered.
Prosecutors initially charged Lara Garcia with felony first-degree homicide, however he pleaded responsible to an alternate cost of first-degree manslaughter throughout the fee of a misdemeanor.
He additionally pleaded responsible to prices of driving beneath the affect inflicting nice bodily harm — a blood check confirmed he had methamphetamine in his system on the time — and endangering others whereas eluding police.
Moreover Killam’s asking the choose to think about break up sentences resulting from Lara Garcia’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement maintain, neither the prosecution nor the protection made particular time period requests.
Moody ordered Lara Garcia to serve three 20-year sentences — two to run consecutively and the final concurrently — and he or she gave him credit score for time served and earned.
Lara Garcia was beneath suspended sentences in three Tulsa County instances on the time of the crash with convictions for obstruction, larceny of an vehicle, reckless driving and possession of a stolen car. Moody accelerated his sentences in every, giving him three two-year sentences to run concurrently together with his manslaughter case.
Lara Garcia provided a press release his translator learn to the courtroom, saying he was sorry, that he regretted being hooked on medication and hoped Medina’s household can forgive him, saying he did not imply to harm anybody. He additionally requested the choose for mercy due to his three younger youngsters.
In her arguments, Assistant District Lawyer Katie Koljack famous that the deadly crash occurred as a result of Lara Garcia did not wish to get caught, and he or she emphasised that even after crashing into the water, his actions confirmed that “the defendant was nonetheless solely considering of himself.”
Lara Garcia requested rapid transportation to Division of Corrections custody.
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