Press Releases
06/25/2024
Judge Sentences Manchester Man Convicted of Shooting One Teenager and Hitting Another Teen with Vehicle
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Hartford, CT) - Sharmese L. Walcott, Hartford Judicial District State’s Attorney, announced today that the Honorable David P. Gold sentenced Jaime Garcia, age 46, of Manchester, to 27 months in prison for a September 2022 incident in Manchester in which the defendant shot a teenager and hit another teen with his vehicle.
Garcia pleaded guilty in Hartford Superior Court on April 29, 2024 to charges of Assault in the First Degree in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-59(a)(3) and Assault in the Second degree in violation of Connecticut General Statutes § 53a-60(a)(3).
According to court records, on September 1, 2022, Manchester Police received a report of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers were met by a group of juveniles, including one who was suffering from a gunshot wound. During questioning, the juveniles stated that they were running through the neighborhood playing a game called “manhunt.” At one point during the game, the defendant exited his home, and while chasing one of the youths down the street, reached into his pocket and pulled out a firearm. The defendant then fired multiple shots in the residential neighborhood, hitting one of the juveniles. The defendant then went back to his home, retrieved a vehicle and canvassed the neighborhood for additional juveniles playing the game. When he spotted a juvenile walking on the sidewalk, the defendant pulled up in the vehicle, showed the juvenile a gun, and then proceeded to chase and strike the juvenile with his vehicle.
At today’s hearing, Garcia was sentenced to 10 years in prison, execution suspended after 27 months served and 3 years of probation. The State had requested a prison sentence of the full cap of 12 years, execution suspended after 6 ½ years served, and three years of probation for the defendant.
“The mothers of the victims courageously faced the man who harmed their children and spoke from the heart at sentencing, before an open courtroom and the court,” State’s Attorney Walcott said. “These teens, 15 and 16 years old, were playing a game when they were shot and chased down by an adult in a vehicle with a firearm. The defendant's actions were dangerous to not only the youth playing in the neighborhood that night, but also to every person outside that night in the neighborhood. The defendant’s criminal actions have had an impact on relations and safety in the community. It has eroded the thread of trust that often runs through a neighborhood. The victims’ presence at today’s hearing was meaningful and I want to take this time to acknowledge their comments and presence at every step of the process."
The case was prosecuted by Supervisor Assistant State’s Attorney Robert Diaz with the assistance of Inspector Luis Rodriguez.