He was riding with a designated driver — but still didn't make it home, police say

Riding with a designated driver after a night out is supposed to be the safe way to get home.

But police in Grand Prairie say even that wasn't enough in Federico Garcia's case.

The 27-year-old Grand Prairie resident died Wednesday after the 2006 BMW he was riding in overturned and rolled several times while travelling southbound on Texas 161 Tuesday morning, according to a news release from the Grand Prairie Police Department.

Sgt. Eric Hansen, who works in the department's traffic unit, said Garcia was drunk at the time of the crash, according to others in the car, all of whom survived. But he was seated in the back seat, and the driver was not drunk.

The wreck occurred near the Mayfield Rd. exit at about 5:15 a.m.

"The driver was apparently the [designated driver]," Hansen said. "[Garcia] was in the back seat, but he was leaning up into the front seat, trying to manipulate the radio. He bumped the driver's arm and caused the crash."

In order to reach into the front of the car, Garcia had removed his seat belt. He was thrown from the car after it swerved, left the roadway and rolled several times. He was taken to Medical City Arlington, where he died about 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's office.

The BMW's front passenger was also taken to Medical City Arlington and treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to the release. The designated driver and the fourth passenger were treated at the scene by paramedics.

Garcia is Grand Prairie's third traffic fatality of 2018.

Matthew Martinez: 817-390-7667; @MCTinez817

This story was originally published January 18, 2018 at 11:17 AM with the headline "He was riding with a designated driver — but still didn't make it home, police say."