Arizona carjacker sentenced to 26 years for incident involving pregnant woman

PHOENIX — Christopher John Garcia was sentenced to 26 years in prison earlier this week for a violent 2017 incident in which he ran over a pregnant woman and shot at officers.

According to a press release from the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, during the incident Garcia ran over the woman, then shot at 12 police officers before he was apprehended near Seventh Street and Broadway Road. Garcia also attempted to carjack two other victims, including a grandmother who had six children riding with her.

At the time of the incident, Garcia was a five-time convicted felon who was not allowed to possess firearms. In a statement read to the court, one victim detailed how the incident impacted her life and spoke about how it triggered bouts with anxiety.

“The person I was prior to this event is a memory. Although the carjacking happened more than five years ago, it continues to impact me daily. I will only leave the house to go to work or pick up groceries. I still have nightmares related to the carjacking and I have experienced panic attacks while out in public,” she said.

“Victims of violent crime carry with them a lifetime of trauma that in many cases is difficult to overcome. This defendant is where he needs to be; away from society so he will not hurt again,” said County Attorney Rachel Mitchell.

Garcia pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a class two felony, two counts of armed robbery with a deadly weapon, a class two felony, and one count of possession of weapon by a prohibited person, a class four felony.

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