Family seeks justice for Juan Garcia, man left on life support after Indio hit-and-run

An Indio family is seeking answers after Juan Garcia, 37, was left brain dead after a hit-and-run on February 6.

“She gets to continue her life, but she ended my brother's life. And i just want for him to get the justice he deserves,” said Garcia's sister Dalia.

Police responded to a call around 4 p.m., where they found Garcia who was hit and lying in the parking lot near Little Caesar's Pizza and the Arco AM/PM gas station at the corner of Rubidoux Street and Highway 111.

“To hit someone, run someone over and just leave. That is inhumane,” Dalia added.

Garcia was taken to a local hospital by Indio Fire with major injuries and was pronounced brain dead the next day. “We just been like trying to spend as much as time by my brother's side, even though he's, he's not here no more with us.”

Dalia says it’s an incident that could’ve been prevented. "You should stop and you should help them call the ambulance, call the police, scream for help. If you're scared or in shock, you don't have to be there with them, but at least be assisted in some way by calling for help."

Garcia's family described him as a loving and kind man, with dreams to start a gardening business. “As a family, we knew him. And we had so much love for him. And he loved everyone and he tried to help as much as he could,” Dalia explained.

To honor Garcia’s final wishes, the family says they will donate his organs. “He’s going to be able to, in a way, do the things he wasn’t able to, which is have a family. And fulfill his dreams, his dreams will live in other people’s lives.”

The suspect, identified as a 34-year-old woman from Indio, was arrested Tuesday evening. County jail records show that she was released the following day on $65,000 bail.

“She could have done so many things to to be able to help him, but she didn't. And it's not fair that she's able to continue her life while my brother is already gone,” Dalia said.

She faces charges of Hit and Run Resulting in Injury/Death and Inflicting Bodily Harm/Injury. The suspect is set to be arraigned in April.

“She needs to pay for what she did. You cannot just do something and leave and not think that there's consequences. She probably saw him as a person that was not important to her. But he's important to a lot of more people.”

Garcia's family created a GoFundMe to help with hospital expenses.