Hit-and-run accident leads to court summons
Published 10:27 pm Friday, February 11, 2022
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FROM STAFF REPORTS
A three-vehicle crash Thursday evening near Sycamore Shoals Hospital on West Elk Avenue led to the arrest of one driver after he left the scene of the accident.
According to the incident report, Capt. Anthony Buck was dispatched to the crash at 5:47 p.m. and during the course of the investigation discovered there had been three vehicles involved in the crash and one had left the scene.
A passenger of one car involved in the crash, identified as Leah Hurley, had taken a photo of the vehicle with its license plate that had left the scene described as a tan Chrysler minivan.
Another driver involved in the crash, identified as Katrina Clark, advised Buck that the driver of the minivan advised that his vehicle didn’t sustain much damage and left the scene.
Clark described the subject as a white male, approximately 5’9″, with a beard.
The vehicle was later found at Mountain Hollow Court which matched the owner of the vehicle’s license plate by Cpl. Aaron Bennett.
Bennett advised that he had located Mr. Alfonso Garcia who initially attempted to deny being the driver of the vehicle involved in the crash. The report stated that once Bennett told Garcia of the photo, Garcia admitted to being the driver.
Buck responded to the Mountain Hollow Court location and was told by Garcia that he didn’t think that he needed to stay at the scene of the crash due to minimal damage to his vehicle.
Buck said that the minivan had damage on the front and rear of the vehicle totaling over $1,500 as well to one of the other vehicles involved.
A strong smell of alcohol was on Garcia, who was “thick tongued” when he spoke according to Buck’s report. Garcia admitted to consuming alcohol once he had arrived to the Mountain Hollow address and denied having been drinking while operating the vehicle.
A check of Garcia’s driving license revealed that they were suspended out of Sullivan County on Dec. 8, 2008, for failure to pay for an original violation. He was also found to be driving on a suspended/revoked license conviction out of the U.S. District Court in Greeneville on Nov. 21, 2019.
Buck issued Garcia a citation/summons in lieu of arrest for driving on a suspended license (second offense) and leaving the scene of an accident with property damage. He was also explained, signed, and given a copy of Required Booking Process Form and was given a Sessions Court date at 9 a.m. on Feb. 21.
A crash report was also completed.
