19-year-old female charged after 140 mph Christmas chase injures trooper

Authorities have identified the 19-year-old driver accused of leading Florida Highway Patrol troopers on a pursuit topping 140 mph Christmas morning that ended in a crash and left a trooper with serious injuries. Sundara Esperanza Garza, 19, of Royal Palm Beach, was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, including aggravated fleeing and eluding causing serious bodily injury, reckless driving, and driving while license suspended, according to arrest reports. The pursuit began around 9 a.m. near the intersection of State Road 44 and Interstate 95 in Volusia County. A trooper observed a silver Mercedes sedan traveling at speeds exceeding 130 mph in a 70 mph zone, weaving through traffic and using the shoulder to pass other vehicles. When troopers attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver, later identified as Garza, refused to pull over and accelerated to approximately 140 mph. The report describes Garza driving in an "extremely reckless manner," forcing other motorists off the roadway. The chase continued southbound into Brevard County. Near mile marker 220, a trooper performed a Precision Immobilization Technique (PIT) maneuver to terminate the pursuit. The impact caused both the Mercedes and the patrol car to collide with the center median guardrail. A trooper involved in the crash was transported to Holmes Regional Medical Center with serious injuries. Garza was taken into custody at the scene. A passenger in the vehicle, identified as 21-year-old Yazmin Claudette Barber, collapsed at the scene due to injuries from the crash and was also hospitalized. Barber was arrested on an active out-of-county warrant from Broward County. Garza is being held at the Brevard County Jail without bond. In addition to the felony charges, she was cited for speeding more than 50 mph over the limit. FHP25ON0606779 - SUNDARA GARZA - ARREST REPORTDownload