A jury has convicted Cameron Garcia, 28, of five counts of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and carjacking following a fatal crash that killed five passengers and a subsequent police pursuit. Sentencing is scheduled for August 19, where Garcia faces a potential prison term of up to 181 years to life.
The incident occurred on February 9, 2023, when prosecutors allege Garcia had been drinking throughout the day before driving with a car full of passengers. He was reportedly speeding at 101 mph on River Road near the Sacramento River when he drove off an embankment and struck a tree. Authorities stated that Garcia accelerated rather than braked before the impact.
The high-speed collision caused the vehicle to flip, ejecting all five passengers, who were pronounced dead at the scene. Garcia sustained injuries but survived the crash.
Following the crash, Garcia attempted to carjack several vehicles, successfully taking one from a woman by force. He fled the scene and was pursued by police and helicopters to Elk Grove, where he crashed again and attempted another carjacking. He was eventually apprehended on foot in a residential neighborhood.
Medical examinations revealed Garcia had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.11% approximately 90 minutes after the collision, along with marijuana in his system. Previous convictions and aggravating factors in the case are contributing to the severe sentencing range he faces.
