A man who drank all day and drove his sport utility vehicle into a tree at 101 mph, killing all five of his passengers, was sentenced to 188 years to life in prison, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.
The sentencing of 32-year-old Cameron Garcia comes more than a month after a Sacramento jury convicted him on five counts of manslaughter.
The jury also found true an enhancement for fleeing after committing a gross vehicular manslaughter and personally using a deadly weapon in the commission of the offense.
Garcia had previously pleaded guilty to evading police.
Sacramento County Superior Court Judge James Arguelles sentenced Garcia on Friday.
The case began Feb. 9, 2023, when Garcia spent the day drinking alongside the Sacramento river before he and the five passengers got into his Cadillac SUV, according to the district attorney’s office.
Authorities said Garcia was speeding down River Road, a two-lane highway that bends with the river, when the road turned.
Prosecutors said Garcia made no attempt to brake and instead pressed on the accelerator as the vehicle veered off the road, crashing into a tree.
Prosecutors said the vehicle flipped 180 degrees, tearing the entire right side and most of the roof off. All five passengers were ejected.
Neighbors told local news outlets that the victims ended up in their driveways, bushes and on the roads.
The young victims were identified by the authorities as Curvontay Swygert, 16; Aahliya Garcia, 17; Faith Samuel, 18; Izabelle Salaz-Stephens, 19; and Monte Nunn, 29.
Dorothy Garcia, the driver’s mother, told KCRA 3 that Aahliya was her son’s niece.
Prosecutors said despite suffering multiple injuries during the crash, Garcia attempted to flee in several nearby cars before he got into a woman’s vehicle, pushing her out of the driver’s seat and driving off.
Authorities said Garcia drove into the city of Elk Grove and led police on a chase before crashing into another vehicle. They said he attempted to steal another vehicle but fled on foot when he failed. Garcia was taken into custody thereafter.
Prosecutors said Garcia was taken to a hospital. Blood tests showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.11%. He also had marijuana in his system.
