Man admitted to drinking before critical-injury crash, police say
A Las Vegas man told police he had several beers before getting behind the wheel of a van and crashing into two vehicles, gravely wounded a woman.
Johnathan Garcia, 35, is suspected of driving a 2012 Ford Econoline that he swerved into a stopped Maserati and a box truck on Nov. 4, according to an arrest report released this week from the Metropolitan Police Department.
Officers were initially called at 4:38 a.m. to West Sahara Avenue and Montessouri Street after a report of a three-car crash.
Police found the woman trapped in the box truck after it tipped over from the crash, according to the report. Firefighters had to mechanically remove the woman and took her to University Medical Center where she was still in critical condition as of Friday.
The woman inside the Maserati was not injured.
While taking Garcia to UMC to be treated for serious injuries, paramedics reported he smelled of alcohol.
“Garcia admitted to a paramedic that he consumed four to five beers before the collision,” according to the report.
While at the hospital, Garcia told police he drank four pints of beer between 1 and 2:30 a.m. at a bar on Sahara but did not remember when he stopped drinking.
He was arrested Nov. 5 and charged with driving under the influence resulting in substantial bodily harm, according to court records. He is being held on $100,000 bail and, if released, a note in the court document shows Garcia is prohibited from driving and must wear a high-level ankle monitor.
Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter.
