An Oxnard man has been handed a life-changing verdict after a jury found him guilty of second-degree murder stemming from a DUI crash that claimed the life of a good Samaritan and inflicted great bodily injury on another. Francisco Garcia, now facing 22 years to life in state prison, drove under the influence and crashed into two disabled vehicles on July 22, 2018, killing 52-year-old Elicia Lopez-Hernandez, who was assisting at the scene of an earlier collision. The unfortunate incident transpired on Pleasant Valley Road in Oxnard, as reported by KTLA.
After the crash, Garcia fled and was later located hiding on a nearby rooftop by the Oxnard Police Department. His blood alcohol concentration at the time was a significant 0.24%, well over the legal limit. This tragic event was not Garcia's first run-in with DUI laws; a previous DUI conviction in 2009 resulted in a Watson advisement, where he was warned of murder charges should his impaired driving cause another's death. He is slated for sentencing on August 6, according to details shared by Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Edward Andrews led the prosecution, emphasizing the severe consequences of repeated drunk driving offenses. "The jury’s verdict today recognizes the devastating consequences of the defendant’s actions," Andrews said, as noted by the District Attorney's official press release. "The defendant took the life of a woman who only sought to help others, grievously injured another good Samaritan, then he fled rather than face what he did. After a long and challenging process, these convictions bring a measure of closure to the victim’s family." Garcia's indictment included multiple serious charges, among them second-degree murder and DUI causing injury.
Garcia’s conviction stands as a somber reminder of the ramifications of drinking and driving, striking a chord within the Ventura County community. "It also sends a clear message: repeated acts of drinking and driving can be deadly. This conviction enhances public safety for our Ventura County community," underscored Andrews in a statement obtained by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office. The sentencing in courtroom 26 of the Ventura County Superior Court is expected to deliver a significant prison term, for Garcia, who has found himself at the end of a long legal battle.
