Manslaughter charges filed in road rage incident
Feb. 5—A 39-year-old Springville man was indicted Monday on a charge of first-degree manslaughter following a road rage incident on Nov. 29 in East Concord.
Mario V. Garcia was arraigned before Erie County Court Judge Susan Eagan on the charge, a class "B" violent felony.
Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn's office reports that about 3:30 p.m. on Nov. 29, Garcia was driving a pickup truck south on Vaughn Street (Route 240) in the Town of East Concord. when he was involved in a suspected road rage incident with another driver. The victim, who was also driving a pickup truck, pulled off onto the side of the road on Route 240 south of Davis Hill Road. Garcia then pulled off to the side of the road behind the victim's vehicle.
The victim exited his vehicle and walked toward the front of Garcia's vehicle. Garcia then hit the victim with his vehicle with the intent to cause serious physical injuries resulting in death. The victim, Andrew J. Mikula, 64, of Lancaster, died at the scene. Garcia then drove to his home after the incident where he called 911.
Prosecutors requested that Garcia be remanded. He was held on bail set at $150,000 cash or bond. A return court date has not been scheduled at this time.
If convicted of the charge, Garcia faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Flynn 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 is being prosecuted by Chief Paul J. Glascott of the Vehicular Crimes Bureau.
