Middlesex County Acting Prosecutor Christopher L.C. Kuberiet announced that a Piscataway man has been sentenced to serve 13 years in prison for causing the death of a 49-year old vice-principal of New Brunswick High School, who was struck and killed on October 6, 2018.
Officials say Mr. Freddy S. Garcia Jr., 22, of Piscataway was sentenced on September 11, 2019, to serve 13 years in a New Jersey state prison. Superior Court Judge Diane Pincus sentenced Garcia to 10 years for vehicular homicide, subject to the No Early Release Act.
As such, the defendant will have to serve the first 8 ½ years of this prison term before becoming eligible for parole. Garcia was also sentenced to 3 years for leaving the scene of an accident, this term is to run consecutive to the 10-year sentence.
In addition, the judge ordered that Garcia is subject to a 3-year loss of license upon his release from prison.
Garcia pleaded guilty on May 31, 2019, to vehicular homicide, knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, causing death while driving with a suspended license, filing a false report, and hindering his own apprehension in the death of Tyrone Harrison, 49, of Somerset.
The defendant was charged following an investigation by Officer Meredith Robbins of the Piscataway Police Department and Detective Jonathan Berman of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office which determined that on October 6, 2018, at approximately 9:17 pm multiple vehicles were illegally street racing on Stelton Road in Piscataway.
Police say Garcia, lost control of his 2003 Honda Accord, struck and killed the victim on Stelton Road near Ethel Avenue in Piscataway.
Then, he abandoned his car and fled the scene. Later, Garcia falsely reported that his car, which was not registered or insured, was stolen.
Harrison, a Vice-Principal of the New Brunswick High School was walking from the Edison train station on route to a relative’s house when he was struck. He was pronounced dead at the scene from the injuries he sustained in the fatal hit and run.
IMAGE: Principal Tyrone Harris