Man driving illegally leaves friend trapped in wrecked car

DESTIN - A man driving without an American license was charged with hit and run, driving while intoxicated and driving without a license following an accident in which he left his passenger trapped in the wrecked car.

The 1990 Toyota SUV overturned in the median on U.S. Highway 98, near the intersection with Regatta Bay Boulevard just after midnight Monday morning.

The Okaloosa County Sheriff's Deputy who arrived on scene first saw the SUV lying on its driver's side in the ditch and a male climbing out the passenger's side window over an unconscious passenger.

The man, later identified as Poncho Francisco Garcia, told the deputy he was OK and then fled the scene on foot while deputies were dealing with a fire in the engine compartment and trying to rescue the injured man. Using a pick-axe, provided by a passing motorist, deputies broke out the window of the vehicle and turned off the ignition, which had been sparking the fire.

After emergency officials removed 29-year-old Moses Bernardino Dominguez from the vehicle, he was transported by helicopter to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center, according to the report. On Tuesday morning, the nursing supervisor said she could find no record of him being at the hospital, though.

Garcia, a 28-year-old stucco worker, was located an hour after the accident, walking on the Mid-Bay Bridge. Though he denied being in the accident, he had broken glass from the vehicle on him and was injured. While being interviewed by one Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office deputy, another called the cell phone number the injured passenger had provided. It rang in Garcia's pocket.

Thirteen Modelo beer cans were found in the car and around the scene of the crash. Three had been opened and appeared to have been drunk.

A witness told deputies the red SUV was fishtailing before spinning around completely and rolling in the median. The license plate number did not match the vehicle, however neither had been reported stolen.

The vehicle is owned by a Fort Walton Beach man.

Garcia did not have a valid driver's license in Florida, according to the report. He told deputies he had a Mexican driver's license and had been living and working in the state for eight years.