The 34-year-old Caldwell man who drove his Nissan Altima into oncoming traffic and caused a fatal collision on Idaho 69 last summer had a .214 Blood Alcohol Content (bac) level – which is more than twice the legal limit of .08.
Kuna police were involved in a brief vehicle pursuit with Ruben Garcia on July 31 before he caused the crash that resulted in his death and the driver of a pickup truck he hit head-on – 28-year-old Jonathan Calderon.
The Ada County Critical Incident Task Force (CITF) investigated the fatal crash and determined Kuna Police had lawful and justified reason to try to stop Garcia.
They determined Garcia’s driving was “reckless” — including that he was drunk, driving in excess of 100 mph while not maintaining his lane of traffic, and not having his headlights on before the crash — and there was no evidence Kuna Police broke any laws during the pursuit.
Our internal investigation drew the same conclusion and determined the officers followed all Kuna Police and Ada County Sheriff’s Office policies during the incident.
Kuna Police got involved in the brief vehicle pursuit with Garcia just before midnight July 31.
Meridian Police first 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 Nissan.
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 shortly after then when Garcia lost control of his car and drove into oncoming traffic resulting in a head-on collision with the pickup truck, resulting in the death of Jonathan Calderon.
If you’d like to know more, click Garcia CITF to read the entire CITF report.