MIAMI – A man accused of killing four people in a violent New Year’s Day crash in 2021 accepted a plea deal Thursday.
Alex Garcia, who was 16 years old at the time of the crash, was charged with four counts of vehicular homicide, four counts of DUI manslaughter, and two counts of DUI with serious bodily injury.
He was sentenced to 14 years in prison, followed by two years of house arrest and eight years of probation after pleading guilty.
Garcia’s Defense Attorney Brian Kirlew said that Garcia told him, “It was the right thing to do.”
Surveillance video played during Garcia’s bond hearing showed his Tahoe going 111 miles per hour on West Flagler Street around 4 a.m. when it collided with another car near 79th Avenue, killing the four people inside.
The victims killed in the accident were identified as 21-year-old Yuhlia Gelats, 22-year-old Christian Mohip, 21-year-old Andres Zacarias and 21-year-old Jenser Salazar.
On Thursday, Florida Highway Patrol Cpl. Christine Gracey didn’t hold back when speaking directly to Garcia in court.
“See, this is what you did. You,” she said. “You have no right to call this tragedy an accident.”
Gracey even directed part of her statement to Garcia’s mother.
“You knew he didn’t have a license, you knew was drinking, and by your own admission, you gave him the keys. Shame on you,” Garcia said furiously while in court.
Some of the victim’s loved ones made statements before the court.
“People say I should forgive you, but I’ll never forgive you,” Andres Medina, Gelats’ father said in court.
“What you decided to do that day was 100 percent preventable,” said Ingrid Zacarias, Andres Zacarias’ sister.
While in court, Ingrid Zacarias mentioned there were multiple incidents of vandalism to the victim’s memorials and gravesites, which have only added to their pain.
Kirlew told the court that his client (Garcia) denounced those acts.
“My client and his family have nothing to do with that vandalism. They condemn it,” he said.
Garcia did not make any public statement while in court and neither did his family, who left the courtroom in silence after the hearing.
Local 10 News was told that a special condition of Garcia’s plea deal was that he must donate $100 to the Crime Victims Fund every year that he remains under supervision.