A Leesburg man was arrested for causing a hit-and-run crash that saw another driver airlifted for emergency medical care in Orlando.
Officers were dispatched to the intersection of North Bay Street and East Wilt Avenue in reference to a vehicle accident with injuries at around 6:19 p.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Eustis Police Department. Officers were informed of a hit-and-run that had also occurred at the intersection of North Grove Street and Floral Avenue.
The first officer to arrive at the accident scene observed 29-year-old Gustavo Miguel Garcia sitting behind the wheel of a white Ford flatbed pickup. The truck had extensive damage to the front end, the report said.
The officer also observed a silver Ford Fusion with extensive damage to the driver’s side, the report said. The driver of that vehicle was slumped over the passenger seat bleeding from his head. He was breathing, but unconscious, as he was handed over to Lake EMS. However, due to his life-threatening injuries, the victim was transported by helicopter to Orlando Regional Medical Center.
As the officers investigated the scene, they were informed that the white pickup was involved in the hit-and-run and three individuals had witnessed the events, the report said.
The report stated witnesses saw the white pickup crash into the back of a black Dodge SUV, causing it to collide with a Nissan truck in front of it on North Grove Street. They stated the pickup fled the scene at a high rate of speed and turned onto East Wilt Ave. The witnesses followed the pickup and called law enforcement as they watched the pickup run two stop signs and crash into the silver Ford Fusion. A separate witness videoed the entire scene and handed it over to the police.
A criminal history check revealed that Garcia has one prior conviction for reckless driving and one prior conviction for driving while his license was suspended on the same day in May 2018. He also had multiple suspensions on his license, including suspensions for refusal to submit breath/urine/blood tests in 2017 and indefinite cancellations in 2017, 2018 and 2022, the report said.
Garcia was arrested on charges of reckless driving with serious bodily injury, driving while license suspended with knowledge causing serious bodily injury, and leaving the scene of a crash. He was also issued two citations for failure to stop at a stop sign. He was transported to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $10,500 bond.
