By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
A former Lehigh Valley Mall employee rushing home from his job during a 30-minute lunch break was speeding through the mall's parking lot in November 2009 when he crashed into the passenger side of a car in which Lyda Estrada-Davila, 61, was seated, killing her.
On Friday, prosecutors officially charged Miqueas Rafael Garcia, 21, of Lower Macungie Township one count each of homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter in relation to the death of Lyda Estrada-Davila, of Jackson Heights in Queens, N.Y., five counts of recklessly endangering other people --Davila's daughter, aunt and son who were also in the car at the time of the accident -- and one each of driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances and a minor driving under the influence of alcohol. Garcia was 20 at the time of the accident.
According to an article in the New Jersey Morning Call, a crash reconstruction showed that Garcia was driving along Ring Road at twice the posted speed limit when the accident occurred just before the start of the busy pre-holiday shopping weekend.
Court documents say Carolina Fernandez, Davila's daughter, was making a left turn from Ring Road into a mall parking lot when she was hit by Garcia's van. Estrada-Davila was in the front passenger seat; her aunt and son were in the back seat.
Whitehall Township police say witnesses reported that Garcia was seen driving more than 40 mph just before the crash. A state trooper and a Whitehall accident Reconstructionist estimated that he was going at least 39 mph at the time of impact. The posted speed limit on Ring Road is 20 mph.
Garcia, who admitted he drove Ring Road at least twice a day five days a week and knows there can be heavy vehicle and foot traffic, said he tried to stop. Police say Garcia, who also admitted to police that he had been drinking the night before until 2 a.m., still reeked of alcohol the afternoon of the accident, said police. Blood alcohol test results revealed Garcia had a 0.04 blood-alcohol level an hour after the 1:20 p.m. crash.
Garcia was arraigned Friday by District Judge Rod Beck and released under $50,000 unsecured bail. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on May 27.
Media Outlets must credit
The Black Urban Times
&
The New Jersey Newsroom
The Black Urban Times
A former Lehigh Valley Mall employee rushing home from his job during a 30-minute lunch break was speeding through the mall's parking lot in November 2009 when he crashed into the passenger side of a car in which Lyda Estrada-Davila, 61, was seated, killing her.
On Friday, prosecutors officially charged Miqueas Rafael Garcia, 21, of Lower Macungie Township one count each of homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter in relation to the death of Lyda Estrada-Davila, of Jackson Heights in Queens, N.Y., five counts of recklessly endangering other people --Davila's daughter, aunt and son who were also in the car at the time of the accident -- and one each of driving under the influence of alcohol or controlled substances and a minor driving under the influence of alcohol. Garcia was 20 at the time of the accident.
According to an article in the New Jersey Morning Call, a crash reconstruction showed that Garcia was driving along Ring Road at twice the posted speed limit when the accident occurred just before the start of the busy pre-holiday shopping weekend.
Court documents say Carolina Fernandez, Davila's daughter, was making a left turn from Ring Road into a mall parking lot when she was hit by Garcia's van. Estrada-Davila was in the front passenger seat; her aunt and son were in the back seat.
Whitehall Township police say witnesses reported that Garcia was seen driving more than 40 mph just before the crash. A state trooper and a Whitehall accident Reconstructionist estimated that he was going at least 39 mph at the time of impact. The posted speed limit on Ring Road is 20 mph.
Garcia, who admitted he drove Ring Road at least twice a day five days a week and knows there can be heavy vehicle and foot traffic, said he tried to stop. Police say Garcia, who also admitted to police that he had been drinking the night before until 2 a.m., still reeked of alcohol the afternoon of the accident, said police. Blood alcohol test results revealed Garcia had a 0.04 blood-alcohol level an hour after the 1:20 p.m. crash.
Garcia was arraigned Friday by District Judge Rod Beck and released under $50,000 unsecured bail. He is due back in court for a preliminary hearing on May 27.
Media Outlets must credit
The Black Urban Times
&
The New Jersey Newsroom
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