Drunk driver hits, kills man with car; drives to bar with body in passenger seat

Austin, TX-Police say a drunk driver hit a pedestrian and kept driving with the man’s body inside the car.

Paul Joseph Garcia Jr, 24, struck 55-year-old Lee Martin Cagle on Saturday night. Garcia was driving his Ford Focus at a high rate of speed with his headlights off when he hit Cagle who was pushing a shopping cart on Menchaca Road on February 15.

When Cagle was struck, his body went through the front windshield and landed in Garcia’s front passenger seat. According to a police affidavit, the victim suffered extreme head trauma and significant damage to the extremities, enough to sever some of them. Body parts were later found both at the accident site and inside the vehicle.

Garcia drove half a mile to the South Austin Beer Garden where he stopped and went inside. Bartenders refused Garcia service and called police.

"He was in tears,” said David Pearce co-owner of the South Austin Beer Garden. “He was distraught. In a panic state. You could see he had tears in his eyes and he looked like he was running from something."

Garcia was charged with intoxication manslaughter and failure to stop and render aid.