Linn County jury convicts Cedar Rapids man who crashed into motorcyclist, killing him in 2022

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Cedar Rapids man who was intoxicated when he drove off an embankment and crashed into a motorcyclist on Interstate 380, killing him, was found guilty Monday by a Linn County jury of vehicular homicide and other charges.

Carlos Adail Garcia, 42, faces up to 30 years in prison for homicide by vehicle and disarming a police officer, both felonies; operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs and possession of a controlled substance-cocaine, both serious misdemeanors; and interference with official acts, a simple misdemeanor.

The jury deliberated a little over an hour Monday before reaching the unanimous verdicts following three days of testimony in Linn County District Court.

According to testimony, Garcia, driving a Buick Enclave, was headed south on I-380 May 5, 2022 and as he started to take the Highway 30 east ramp, he veered down the grassy embankment, then back onto the interstate, striking broadside into a motorcycle driven by Jeffrey Lankford, 53, of Cedar Rapids.

Lankford was on the inside lane as he was ejected from his cycle upon impact. He became entangled in the median cables, Linn County Sheriff’s Deputy Tim Daubs, who arrived first, testified.

Daubs said Lankford had no signs of life — he wasn’t breathing and his eyes were open and fixed. Daub’s body camera, played during his testimony, showed graphic footage of Lankford’s body on the barrier. He placed a blanket over the body out of respect, while waiting for paramedics and investigators.

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A medical examiner testified Lankford died from blunt force trauma, according to testimony. He had a broken spine, skull fracture, compound fracture to his right lower leg and other internal injuries as a result of the crash.

Garcia wasn’t injured in the crash, law enforcement testified. He told police someone struck his Enclave at the top of the ramp and forced him off the road and down the embankment, but investigators found no evidence of Garcia’s claims.

Garcia didn’t testify or have any witnesses during trial.

An investigator testified Garcia struck the motorcycle and caused the crash. After striking the motorcycle, Garcia’s Enclave ended up parallel against the median cables.

Witnesses also testified they saw the Enclave coming down the embankment then directly striking the motorcycle.

Debra Saunders, driving southbound on I-380, testified she also saw the Enclave coming down the grassy embankment. The driver was going “fast” and coming toward her vehicle. She braked to slow down because she didn’t know if he was going to stop.

The Enclave crossed onto the highway “horizontally very fast,” Saunders said. She didn’t see the crash because it happened so quickly but she “heard it.” She stopped and called 911.

Saunders said the motorcyclist wasn’t driving in an unsafe way or swerving on the highway before being struck.

Brittany Saunders, who was her mother’s passenger, said she didn’t think the motorcyclist even saw the Enclave coming.

Andy Volz testified he took the Highway 30 westbound exit to merge onto I-380 and saw the Enclave going down the embankment. There were no other vehicles at the top of the ramp that would have made Garcia veer off the roadway, he said.

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Police said Garcia had signs of intoxication but refused to take sobriety tests at the scene. Police said they found plastic bags with cocaine in a mint container in his pocket.

At the hospital, Garcia made it difficult for Brooke Hughes, a medical technician, to draw blood after police obtained a search warrant for it. Hughes testified three hospital security officers and three police officers held Garcia down while Hughes got the sample. She said Garcia was struggling with them but she got the sample and turned it over to investigators.

During the struggle, Garcia also disarmed an officer of his baton, but police quickly retrieved it.

According to testimony, Garcia’s blood alcohol level was 0.187 percent, more than twice the legal limit of 0.08 percent, when blood was drawn hours later at the hospital. Based on that level, investigators extrapolated Garcia’s BAC at the time of crash, which would have been between 0.21 to 0.25. He also tested positive for marijuana.

Sentencing is set May 2 in Linn County District Court.

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