A Las Vegas teenager was charged Tuesday with vehicular manslaughter and other felony counts in the weekend death of a California Highway Patrol officer on Interstate 15 in the Mojave Desert.
Rafael Garcia, 18, faces felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence, child endangerment and transportation of marijuana. If convicted, he could be sentenced to eight years, four months in prison.
CHP Officer Justin McGrory and another officer had stopped a car in the Barstow area, about 90 miles northeast of Los Angeles, early Sunday when Garcia's car veered onto the shoulder and struck the 28-year-old officer, said San Bernardino county prosecutors.
Deputy District Attorney Jill Gregory said a 12-year-old child was in car, but she could not elaborate on details.
She also said 68 grams of marijuana were found in Garcia's vehicle. Laboratory tests were being performed to determine if Garcia was under the influence of marijuana or alcohol at the time of the crash, Gregory said.
McGrory was one of five CHP officers killed in the line of duty in less than two months.
