MIAMI – A man told a state trooper that he was traveling southbound on the Turnpike’s Homestead Extension in Miami-Dade County when a speeding blue car passed him while swerving in and out of lanes, records show.
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The man reported he saw the blue Honda Civic crash into the back of a white Chevrolet Colorado that was ahead of him. After avoiding a chain reaction crash, he stopped to help both drivers, records show.
The man reported that when he helped Laurie Garcia, 29, out of her crashed Honda Civic in a ditch she reeked of alcohol and “was slurring her words,” according to an arrest report by the Florida Highway Patrol.
Nearly a month later, on Tuesday, Garcia appeared in Miami-Dade bond court facing charges for the early morning crash that injured her and a man and a woman who were in the Chevrolet Colorado. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue personnel took the three to the Jackson South Medical Center.
According to the FHP report, a trooper saw Garcia “stumbling and unable to keep her balance,” also “laying down and staring up toward the sky several times” and “unable to stand up” after the crash at about 1:35 a.m., on Feb. 15.
While at the hospital nearly two hours later, the FHP trooper reported Garcia was “continuously falling asleep and slurring her words,” and although she “declined to answer any questions,” she allowed a blood draw.
According to an arrest report in the case, FHP received the University of Miami’s forensic toxicology lab report on Thursday and it showed she had blood alcohol levels of .198 and .196 -- more than twice the state’s legal limit -- after the crash.
Records show troopers arrested Garcia at about 3:50 p.m., on Monday, at the Florida Highway Patrol Troop K Post 1 Station, and Miami-Dade correctional deputies booked her shortly before 5:10 p.m., at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center.
On Tuesday, Miami-Dade prosecutors filed a third-degree felony case against Garcia for one count of causing serious bodily injury while driving under the influence. Records show the FHP also issued her a traffic citation for careless driving.
A judge set her bond at $5,000 and she was no longer at TGKCC on Tuesday afternoon, records show. Miami-Dade County Circuit Judge William Altfied is set to preside over Garcia’s case.
Local 10 News Assignment Desk Editor Mercedes Cevallos contributed to this report.
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