Drag racing driver sentenced to 13 years in death of New Jersey vice principal
PISCATAWAY, New Jersey (WABC) -- The man who fatally struck a New Jersey high school vice principal and then fled the scene last year was sentenced Wednesday to 13 years in prison.
Superior Court Judge Diane Pincus sentenced 22-year-old Freddy Garcia to 10 years for vehicular homicide, subject to the No Early Release Act.
As such, he will have to serve the first 8 1/2 years of his term before becoming eligible for parole. Garcia was also sentenced to three years for leaving the scene of an accident, which will run consecutive to the 10-year sentence.
He will also be subjected to supervised parole upon release and will not be allowed to have a license for three years.
Garcia, of Piscataway, was drag racing when he lost control of his car and struck 49-year-old New Brunswick High School vice principal Tyrone Harrison on October 6, 2018.
Garcia then abandoned his car and fled before falsely reporting that his car had been stolen, authorities said.
Harrison was pronounced dead at the scene after he was struck while walking from the Edison train station en route to a relative's house on Stelton Road near Ethel Avenue in Piscataway.
His wife gave an impact statement before the sentencing, describing life without him.
"He wasn't just any guy," Dr. Adrienne Harrison said. "He was a great man. With so many negative and evil people in this world, you need to know, you took one of the good ones out of it."
Tyrone Harrison's brother also spoke.
"I hope Mr. Garcia understands that we don't hate him," he said. "We truly don't. But we pray for him, for him and his family. And I truly hope he understands the impact that Tyrone had made."
Garcia apologized in court and said if he could trade his life for Harrison's, he would.
Garcia was charged with first-degree aggravated manslaughter, knowingly leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, causing death while driving with a suspended license, hindering prosecution, and false reports to law enforcement.
He pleaded guilty on September 3.
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