An alleged killer is walking free in El Paso.
Joel Garcia, accused of driving drunk, running a red light an killing three people in a car accident on Christmas Eve last year bonded out of jail on Thursday… and the internet is pissed off.
Garcia has been at the El Paso County Jail for less than a year awaiting trial. He is charged with three counts of intoxicated manslaughter in the death of brothers Joshua and Isiah Deal as well as Joshua’s girlfriend, Shanon Del Rio. According to records, Garcia drove his 2010 Camaro through a red light at the intersection of Joe Battle and Visa del Sol, when he collided with a 2004 Pontiac. The t-bone collision caused the back seat passenger to be ejected, then both of the vehicles burst into flames. Garcia and his passenger received minor injuries.
According to court records, Garcia had three times the legal alcohol level in his system the night of the crash.
His original bond of $500,000 was reduced multiple times this year. He was in the process of requesting another bond reduction when the request was put on hold pending a ruling by the Texas Court of Appeals. Garcia was suddenly released Thursday on a $160,000 surety bond and a $10,000 PR bond, according to public records. A PR bond is a special bond that the court grants when a defendant is indigent and cannot afford to bond out of jail, releasing an inmate at no upfront cost.
El Pasoans are protesting online, demanding justice for Joshua, Isiah and Shanon. Meanwhile, Joel Garcia is back at home getting ready to spend the holidays with his family, less than a year after the crash.
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