The Washoe County District Attorney’s Office says Sergio Antonio Ponce-Garcia, 24, was found guilty after being arrested for a DUI that resulted in the death of another person in November of 2014.
The court found Ponce-Garcia guilty of one count of Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol Resulting In Death Wednesday evening after a three day trial that was held in District Court that began on Monday. Court officials say the jury deliberated for under an hour before reaching their decision.
Sparks Police conducted the original fatal crash investigation on November 15, 2014. Authorities determined that Ponce-Garcia drove his Pontiac Sunfire southbound on 12th Street in Sparks at a high rate of speed and failed to navigate a turn. They say he lost control of the vehicle and it slid sideways, colliding with a wooden utility pole on the passenger side. The passenger in the vehicle, David Flores, Age 20, sustained massive head trauma from the crash and died a short time later at Renown Hospital.
Officers say they suspected Ponce-Garcia of being under the influence, placed him under arrest and when they tested his blood, it returned a blood alcohol content of 0.198, approximately 2.5 times the legal limit.
Ponce-Garcia will be sentenced on September 21, 2016, at 9:00 a.m. by District Court Judge Patrick Flanagan. He faces a mandatory prison sentence ranging from 2-20 years and a $2,000-$5,000 fine. The conviction carries a possible penalty of up to 20 years in prison.
