Man charged with more felonies after crash killed six
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IDAHO FALLS – A Rexburg man has been charged with more felonies for drunk driving after reportedly causing a crash that killed six people.
Luis Garcia-Diaz, 26, was recently charged with four additional felonies for driving under the influence causing great bodily harm or permanent disability or disfigurement. He is now charged with ten total felonies, including the original six charges for vehicular manslaughter.
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The fatal crash occurred in the early morning of May 18 on U.S. Highway 20 close to the Lindsay Boulevard exit in Idaho Falls.
A Dodge Ram pickup was traveling east when “it was driven left of center and collided with a westbound Chevrolet passenger van,” according to a news release from the Idaho State Police.
The van had 14 passengers plus the driver during the collision.
Bonneville County Coroner Rick Taylor identified the deceased as Abel Mejía Martínez, 43, Pedro Manuel Alcantar Mejía, 26, Brandon Ponce Gallegos, 24, Jose Guadalupe Sánchez Medina, 20, Luis Enrique Sereno Perez, 32 and Javier Gomez Alcantar, 36.
All were from Mexico, but it is not clear from what area. The investigation continues to determine Garcia-Diaz’s immigration status.
It has been reported that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico confirmed that the passengers in the crashed van were all agricultural workers from Mexico in the United States on H-2A Temporary Agricultural Worker visas; however, the investigation will continue to confirm these details.
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“The driver of the van, along with five other passengers in the van, succumbed to their injuries at the scene of the crash,” the release stated. “Nine other passengers of the van were injured and transported to a local hospital via ground ambulances.”
The nine surviving passengers in the van were taken to area hospitals, and their conditions are unknown. Garcia-Diaz was also transported to a hospital for treatment.
Though Garcia-Diaz has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.
If convicted, Garcia-Diaz could face up to life in prison. He is scheduled to appear for a jury trial on March 10.