Transient booked in high-speed crash; victim still critical
UPDATED at 6:25 p.m. with Griffin's mug shot, additional information on the case, and updated map.
RANCHO CUCAMONGA -- An 18-year-old woman remained hospitalized in critical condition today with injuries she suffered this week when her car was broadsided by a transient accused of speeding through red lights in a stolen car.
The alleged driver in Tuesday's collision, 41-year-old Patrick Griffin, was charged by the San Bernardino County District Attorney's Office today with four felonies: grand theft auto, evading a police officer, and two counts related to DUI causing serious injury, said San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Tracy Dorsey.
"Preliminary investigation determined that (Griffin) had been drinking," Dorsey said.
The victim, Jessika Garcia of Rancho Cucamonga, suffered severe head injuries in the collision at Arrow Route and Vineyard Avenue in Rancho Cucamonga, and hasn't regained consciousness, Dorsey said.
Garcia remains hospitalized at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, Dorsey said.
"She was just the innocent victim of (Griffin's) criminal activities," Dorsey said.
Griffin was hospitalized after the collision but was discharged today and jailed in lieu of $1.5 million bail at West Valley Detention Center in Rancho Cucamonga, Dorsey said.
Ontario police revealed today that Griffin was briefly in custody the morning of the crash for a misdemeanor drug charge, but was released with a citation within a few hours.
Griffin, a transient from Washington state, told sheriff's deputies after his arrest that he was passing through the area hoping to eventually reach Florida, Dorsey said.
Griffin was born in Florida, said Ontario police Detective Jeff Crittenden. Griffin has no known local addresses, Dorsey said.
At about 1:30 p.m., Griffin reportedly stole a Toyota Camry from a Union 76 gas station at the intersection of Arrow and Hermosa Avenue, Dorsey said.
Soon after, a sheriff's deputy saw Griffin driving erratically as Griffin pulled out of a shopping center at the corner of Arrow and Archibald Avenue, Dorsey said.
The sheriff's deputy made a U-turn intending to pull Griffin over, Dorsey said.
As the deputy continued to watch Griffin's car, he saw the vehicle drive west on Arrow at speeds of up to 80 mph and run red lights at Archibald, Hellman Avenue, and Vineyard, Dorsey said.
At the Vineyard intersection, Griffin collided with Garcia, who was traveling north on Vineyard in a 2010 Hyundai.
Griffin slammed into the passenger side of Garcia's car, which was occupied only by Garcia.
About 10 hours prior to the crash, Ontario police contacted Griffin at a truck stop at Guasti Road and Milliken Avenue, Crittenden said.
Officers questioned Griffin at about 3 a.m. Tuesday because his car had an Oregon license plate for a vehicle registered as a commercial truck, Crittenden said.
Officers arrested Griffin after they found drug paraphernalia in his car, and his car was impounded, Crittenden said.
Officers also found at least four license plates in Griffin's car from at least three different states, including Washington, Oregon and Texas, Crittenden said.
At about 7 a.m., Griffin was released from custody at the Ontario police station and issued a citation for the drug charge with a January court date, Crittenden said.
Dorsey said that investigators do not believe the deputy's pursuit of Griffin was a factor in the crash.
Because Griffin had been drinking, investigators do not believe he was aware there was a sheriff's unit behind him, Dorsey said.
Read Dorsey's news release: 110309NewsRelease.pdf
Full-size crime scene photo (3.06 MB): View image
View Rancho Cucamonga crash in a larger map
This article is false! The police department has much to blame also, they were clearly in pursuit of this vehicle. The police should also be liable for not fallowing the rules that are specifically made to avoid incidents such as this one.
So what you are saying is that a police car over 1,000 feet behind a car who is speeding through several red lights, trying to catch up to it, is in pursuit? First off, the police officer was not even close enough to be considered "in pursuit". He never made it close enough to even attempt to stop the vehicle. And how is the police department liabe for someone getting drunk, stealign a car, and running several red lights? Maybe I missed the part that said they forced him to do these things. The poor police officer was simply trying to catch up to a reckless driver to attempt to stop him. Try getting your facts together before you make false accusations.
Jack Black, it is funny how if the cop would have been injured they would have pressed charges on Mr. Griffin. However, since it was a civilian, nothing to worry about!