Jury awards $51M to family of IE man killed by deputies on Palm Springs freeway

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) - A federal jury awarded an Inland Empire family over $51 million for the deadly shooting of their family member by the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department.

It happened on February 5, 2023, after sheriff's deputies responded to an arson call.

The attorney for Antonio Garza's family says he was legally burning personal items on his property in Yucca Valley. Garza fled when deputies arrived, leading to the 35-minute pursuit toward the Coachella Valley.

Garza exited the freeway, Interstate 10, and the chase continued on foot before he was shot six times.

The family sued the department for wrongful death, claiming Garza suffered from a mental illness and was shot for a crime he never committed.

It is the largest police use-of-force verdict in California and the 3rd highest in the country's history.