Driver pleads guilty to manslaughter following fatal road rage incident
Apr. 29—A Springville man faces up to 15 years in prison following his guilty plea in a fatal road rage incident that took place Nov. 29 in Erie County.
Mario V. Garcia, 39, of Springville, pleaded guilty Monday before Erie County Court Judge James Bargnesi to one count of second-degree manslaughter, a Class "C" felony.
On Nov. 29, at approximately 3:20 p.m., Garcia, while driving a pickup truck southbound on Route 240 in the Town of East Concord, was involved in a road rage-incident with another driver. The victim, Andrew J. Mikula, 64, of Lancaster, who was also driving a pickup truck, pulled off onto the side of the road on Route 240 south of Davis Hill Road. Garcia pulled off to the side of the road behind Mikula's vehicle. As Mikula exited his vehicle and walked toward the front of the Garcia's vehicle. Garcia recklessly caused the death of the Mikula by hitting him with his pickup truck. Mikula died at the scene. Garcia drove to his home after the incident where he called 911.
Garcia faces a maximum of 15 years in prison when he is sentenced on June 5. He was held without bail pending sentence.
Acting Erie County District Attorney Michael J. Keane commended Sgt. Amy Parisi, Deputy Timothy Christian, Deputy Simon Biegasiewicz, and Deputy Trevor Williams of the Erie County Sheriff's Office Crash Investigation Unit for their work in this investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Paul J. Glascott of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
