Family of Inland Empire man shot and killed by deputies files $20 million claim

The family of an alleged arson suspect who was shot dead by officers with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department in February, announced Thursday that they are suing the department and other agencies for $20 million.

The deadly incident began on February 5, 2023, around 10 a.m. with Sheriff's deputies responding to an arson call, which led to a vehicle pursuit and then the death of Inland Empire resident Tony Garza.

Attorneys representing the Garza family said at a Thursday afternoon press conference that Garza suffered from mental illness and was legally burning personal items on his own property when deputies arrived. He fled from the deputies when they showed up to investigate.

"Deputies pursued Garza for 35 minutes down I-10 ending in the police murder of Tony Garza for no reason other than that he had fled. He had committed no crime," wrote attorneys with Hadsell Stormer Renick & Dai LLP.

The San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department does not comment on pending lawsuits but did send out the following information at the time the incident happened.

"The pursuit lasted approximately 35 minutes and came to an end at the Whitewater Cutoff, north of the 10 Freeway in Palm Springs, when the suspect attempted to drive off the freeway and the vehicle became disabled. A lethal force encounter occurred, and the suspect was hit by gunfire."

Since Garza's death happened in Riverside County, the Riverside Sheriff's Department is handling the investigation.

Garza family attorneys also said that an independent autopsy report showed that Garza was shot at least two times in the back and at least twice after he had collapsed and was lying wounded on the ground. 

The family's civil rights lawsuit against CHP, Riverside Sheriff's Department, San Bernardino Sheriff's Department and other parties, seeks damages of $20 million and reforms to prevent such an incident from happening again.