A Sacramento County man convicted in a deadly drunken-driving crash that killed five people was sentenced Friday to 188 years in prison, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office announced this week.
Cameron Garcia, 32, was found guilty of driving under the influence in connection with a 2023 crash involving a 2007 Cadillac Escalade that slammed into a tree south of the Freeport Bridge, between Clarksburg and Freeport.
The five passengers inside the SUV — Monte Nunn, 29; Faith Samuel, 18; Izabelle Salaz-Stephens, 19; Curvontay Swygert, 16; and Aahliya Garcia, 17 — were all killed in the collision.
Prosecutors said Garcia had been drinking throughout the day along the Sacramento River before getting behind the wheel. As he drove along the roadway, he failed to navigate a turn and struck the tree at 101 mph.
Authorities said evidence showed Garcia was so impaired that he did not brake before impact and instead had his foot on the accelerator. The force of the crash caused the vehicle to rotate 180 degrees, ripping away the entire right side and much of the roof.
Garcia survived the crash with multiple injuries, but prosecutors said he tried to run from the scene — conduct the jury found supported an enhanced punishment.
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Investigators said Garcia attempted to take several vehicles, including one belonging to a woman who had driven to the crash site. When she arrived, Garcia got into her car, forced her out of the driver’s seat and drove away.
The pursuit continued into Elk Grove, where officers tracked him with patrol units and a helicopter. Garcia eventually crashed the stolen vehicle and tried to flee again, but officers caught and arrested him.
Blood tests later showed he had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.11% about 90 minutes after the collision. He also had active marijuana in his system.
Family members of Garcia, however, are disputing that narrative. According to a Change.org petition started by his family, one of the victims — Faith Samuel — was actually the one who “lost control” of the vehicle and was behind the wheel.
Garcia, they insisted, was actually sleeping at the time.
“The only survivor, Cameron was thrown from the vehicle in a manner that, he desperately insists, proves he was not driving,” the petition read. “Despite the context and evidence, he was sentenced to 188 years for a crime he did not commit.”
The petition is asking for a review of the case and to overturn the conviction, which is based on five counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and carjacking.
