The Ada County Critical Incident Task Force is investigating a fatal car vs. pickup truck crash in Kuna just after midnight Saturday.
Kuna Police were involved in a brief vehicle pursuit with 34-year-old Ruben Garcia, who was driving a Nissan Altima southbound on Meridian Road at a high rate of speed when he crossed over into oncoming traffic and hit a pickup truck going north, near the big curve where Meridian Road transitions into Avalon Street.
The force of the impact resulted in fatal injuries for Garcia and the 28-year-old driver of the pickup truck, Jonathan Calderon.
Emergency crews arrived, removed Calderon out of the wreckage, and began treatment. They took him to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead a short time later. Garcia was declared dead at the scene of the crash.
The incident began shortly before midnight when Meridian Police attempted a traffic stop on Garcia, who was seen driving erratically and without the car’s headlights on, near the Meridian Road/E. Central Drive area.
Reports indicate Garcia took off and began driving the wrong way on Main Street and then went south on Meridian Road at a high rate of speed towards Kuna.
Meridian Police began a pursuit, eventually calling it off as the Nissan crossed Lake Hazel Road and into Kuna Police jurisdiction. Meridian Police informed Kuna Police the Nissan was heading their way.
A Kuna Police officer was stopped at Columbia Road when the Nissan went by going at a high rate of speed. That officer turned on his emergency lights and began following the car.
Another Kuna Police officer put down spike strips across Meridian Road near the Deer Flat Road intersection but Garcia was able to drive around those and kept going south.
It was after then when Garcia lost control of his car and drove into oncoming traffic, resulting in a head-on collision with the pickup truck. Initial reports indicate Garcia did not have the Nissan’s headlights on at any time as he drove down Meridian Road.
The CITF is investigating the crash because of the involvement of Kuna Police. The Boise Police department is leading the investigation.