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BURLEY, Idaho — A Salt Lake City man entered a plea Monday acknowledging a jury would likely find him guilty of two counts of aggravated battery for running an Oregon couple’s SUV off the road on Interstate 84 in April.
Marco Antonio Garcia-Garcia, 28, was charged when, police said, he rammed Kenneth and Judith Wallace’s Toyota SUV with his Toyota Camry after weaving across the road, tailgating them, and stopping on the interstate before reversing toward them.
Garcia-Garcia entered an Alford plea, which means he maintains his innocence, but believes a jury could find him guilty in a trial based on the evidence against him, the Times-News reported. In court, it has essentially the same effect as a guilty plea.
When Kenneth Wallace, who was driving, took the milepost 245 exit, he said Garcia-Garcia hit their SUV from behind and spun them around. The Wallaces said he then drove his car into them again causing it to roll off the west side of the off ramp.
Judith Wallace said in court records that their SUV rolled three times.
Garcia-Garcia is set to be sentenced Dec. 5 in Cassia County District Court.
Related:
Police: Utah road-rage driver ran Oregon couple off I-84 in Idaho rollover crash
A Utah man engaged in a road-rage dispute with an Oregon couple ran the couple’s SUV off the road, then tried unsuccessfully to get into the SUV where the injured couple was trapped after rolling several times, police said.According to a plea agreement, prosecutors will argue that Garcia-Garcia spend five to 12 years in prison and dismiss the enhanced penalty for use of a deadly weapon.
The Mini-Cassia Criminal Justice Center recorded that Garcia-Garcia had been in jail for 208 days on Monday.
The Wallaces, who were treated at Cassia Regional Hospital for concussions and multiple bruises and cuts, told police that after their SUV rolled, Garcia-Garcia got out of his car and tried to get in theirs, but the doors were locked.
A first responder said Garcia-Garcia was yelling at the couple.
When police arrived, Garcia-Garcia was arrested. He denied hitting the vehicle with his car but said he was mad because “vehicles were following him,” police said.
