Affidavit: Joel Garcia admits to drinking at least 5 beers, 2 shots before crash that killed 3 people

Joel Garcia, charged with three counts of intoxication manslaughter, told police he drank at least five beers and two shots prior to the collision that killed three people.

According to the affidavit, at about 1:46 a.m. on Christmas Eve, two witnesses saw a Camaro pass them on the right lane and enter the intersection at Joe Battle and Vista Del Sol – running the red light.

Garcia, a 24-year-old professional boxer, was driving the Camaro with his passenger, Enrique Gaucin.

The Grand Am, driven by Joshua Deal, entered the intersection on its green light and was struck by the Camaro on the driver side. Also in the Grand Am were front seat passenger Shannon Del Rio and back seat passenger Isaiah Deal.

One of the witnesses saw Gaucin get out of the Camaro on his side of the car and then Gaucin dragged the unconscious Garcia away from the car, according to the affidavit.

The witness told police Garcia “kept asking about his car and wanted to leave the scene,” according to the affidavit.

Joshua Deal and Shannon Del Rio were still inside the vehicle after the crash and “engulfed in flames, resulting in their death at the scene,” according to the affidavit.

Isaiah Deal was ejected from the vehicle. He was transported to Del So Medical Center where he died from his injuries.

Garcia told an officer at the scene he was the driver of the Camaro but then refused to give a blood sample to police.

A blood sample was still taken, despite police not having a warrant to take the sample.

Garcia then gave a statement to police in which he said he had at least five beers and two shots before the crash but did not remember being the driver.

Garcia was previously arrested for DWI earlier this year. He was arrested for DWI with blood alcohol content greater than or equal to .15 in April 2014. That case is set for a plea hearing in Feb. 2015.

Garcia also was arrested on Feb. 14, 2010 for minor in possession of alcohol and having an open alcohol container in a vehicle. He was granted a program deferral in the case minor in possession of alcohol case but court records do not show what happened in the open container case.