Driver Jailed For Injuring Doral Motorcycle Cop
MIAMI - (CBSMiami) - A 30-year-old woman accused of injuring an officer and then leaving the scene of the accident will spend the next 30 days in jail thanks to a plea agreement her attorney reached with state prosecutors.
On Friday, Lisa Caridad Garcia walked out of the courtroom in crutches and turned herself over to her jailers to begin serving her sentence. It will be followed by 3 years probation. Her license will be suspended for 5 years. Garcia did not say why she was in crutches.
Doral motorcycle officer Carlos Alvarez watched as she limped away. He said it took him three months to recover from the accident that occurred on May 22, 2010. He said he was disappointed that she would only serve 30 days.
"It could have been avoided," Alvarez said of Garcia. On the night of May 22, 2010 on Southwest 35th Terrace near 102nd Avenue Garcia was driving without headlights.
Alvarez said he had turned on his flashing lights in order to warn her about her headlights.
"At most this could have been a ticket," he said as he left court.
But Garcia chose to drive off in her 1999 Lincoln Continental heading west on Southwest 35th Terrace and in the process striking Alvarez.
A tip phoned in to Crimestoppers led to police to Garcia and she turned herself in a couple of days after the accident.
Alvarez had a cast on his right leg, an injured left arm and a fractured hip as a result. He said he has since made a full recovery.
