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Jaime Elias Garcia

Age : 18

Gender : Male

Race : Latino/a/e

Date : 04/30/2022

Location : FM 1015 and 18th Street

City : Weslaco

County : Hidalgo

State : Texas

Agency : Progreso Police Department

Officer(s) :Not Disclosed

Cause of Death : Vehicle

Event : Bystander killed by police chase crash

OPEN RECORDS SUMMARY :

REASON FOR CHASE: Progreso police initiated the pursuit after stopping a Ford Explorer on suspicion of DWI. The driver drove away from the traffic stop, and Progreso officers pursued the Explorer into Weslaco.
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NARRATIVE:
On 04/30/2022, 18-year-old Jaime Elias Garcia of Progreso was killed when a Ford Explorer being pursued by Progreso police crashed into his Kia Optima at FM 1015 and 18th Street in Weslaco. Garcia was not involved in the police encounter that initiated the pursuit.
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Progreso police had stopped the Explorer on suspicion that its driver was intoxicated. The driver subsequently drove away from the traffic stop, and officers initiated a pursuit that continued north into Weslaco.
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At approximately 7:30 p.m., the pursued Explorer approached the intersection of FM 1015 and 18th Street at approximately 90 mph and crashed into Garcia’s Kia. The force of the collision pushed Garcia’s vehicle into opposing traffic, where it was struck by a Honda Pilot.
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Garcia suffered fatal injuries and died at the crash scene. The occupants of the Honda Pilot were injured and transported to a hospital.
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Garcia was an 18-year-old Mercedes High School student who was preparing to graduate. His family said he had enlisted in the United States Navy and planned to begin his military service after graduation. He was remembered by his school community following his death.
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The driver of the pursued vehicle survived and was arrested. Prosecutors charged her with murder, intoxication manslaughter and evading arrest or detention causing death. She subsequently pleaded guilty. In 2024, a judge sentenced her to 25 years in prison for Garcia’s death.
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The available verified public reporting does not provide the total distance or duration of the Progreso police pursuit.
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OFFICER BACKGROUND:
The Progreso Police Department did not publicly identify the officer who conducted the initial DWI traffic stop or the officers who subsequently participated in the pursuit in the verified sources located. The available reporting does not indicate that any pursuing officer was criminally charged for the decision to initiate or continue the pursuit.
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SOURCE LINKS :

https://www.krgv.com/videos/woman-sentenced-to-25-years-in-drunk-driving-crash-that-killed-a-progreso-teen
https://www.krgv.com/news/18-year-old-killed-in-weslaco-crash-remembered-by-family/
https://www.thebentonlawfirm.com/blog/jaime-garcia-killed-in-multi-vehicle-crash-on-fm-1015-at-18th-street-in-weslaco/