A man who allegedly fled the scene after causing a Bay Terraces car crash that killed two sisters pleaded not guilty Wednesday to vehicular manslaughter and hit-and-run charges.
Tony Garcia, 53, of San Diego, is accused of running through a red light with his Ford F-150 and crashing into a Honda Civic that was making a left turn from Paradise Valley Road onto Munda Road.
Elizabeth Higuera Cano, 25, and Jazmin Higuera Cano, 23, died at a hospital following the crash, which happened just before 2:30 a.m. Sunday. The Civic’s driver and another passenger were injured.
According to Deputy District Attorney Laura Evans, the Civic’s driver was turning left on a green light with a green left arrow when Garcia’s truck went “straight through that intersection” and T-boned the Civic.
Evans said that as Garcia got out of his truck, one of the Civic’s passengers asked for help, but Garcia said “something to the effect of ‘This is a hit and run'” and left on foot.
San Diego police said Garcia turned himself in “several hours” after the crash. Evans said there is no evidence suggesting Garcia was intoxicated.
He faces up to 13 years in state prison if convicted of two counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence and one count of hit-and-run causing death.
San Diego Superior Court Judge Aaron Katz set bail at $250,000 on Wednesday. Should Garcia make bail, he will be subject to certain conditions, including a prohibition against driving and a requirement that he be monitored via GPS.
A GoFundMe campaign has been created to help Elizabeth and Jazmin’s family with funeral expenses.
City News Service contributed to this article.
