Police arrest man in fatal car crash

SAN BERNARDINO — Police are still searching for witnesses in a fatal car crash in which alcohol or drugs was reportedly the cause.

But that didn’t keep Erick Garcia, 19, from being charged with vehicular manslaughter on Monday. Police said he was believed to have been driving drunk when he rolled his car into a wash and killed his passengers early Sunday morning.According to reports, Garcia was speeding south on Terrace Road when he lost control of the 1997 Honda. It went airborne, landing in the wash on the left of the road. The car bounced off the dirt and flew several hundred feet before hitting the ground, according to Sgt. Rich Lawhead.

The car wound up at the bottom of an embankment sometime between 2:30 and 6:45 a.m.

James Rey, 18, of Rialto, died at the scene.

Lawhead said that drugs or alcohol are believed to be the main cause of the crash. Lawhead was hoping any witnesses to the speeding or the crash could contact the police (909-384-5735).

Police arrest man in fatal car crash was last modified: July 18th, 2012 by admin
Categories: San Bernardino

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Lee Brown

Obrey "Lee" Brown has worked for 10 newspapers and magazines in the Bay Area, central and southern California. In 2005, he wrote "A Citrus Test: Football in Black & White." He can be reached at baseballOLB@hotmail.com.