Driver sentenced in fatal car wreck near Yankee Stadium

CONCOURSE, the Bronx (PIX11) --- A driver who killed a 69-year-old woman in a car crash while fleeing from police near Yankee Stadium two years ago is heading to prison, authorities said Wednesday.

Carlos Hernandez, 24, was sentenced to two to six years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter last month, according to the Bronx District Attorney's Office.

Hernandez was speeding in a BMW X6 when he ran a red light and T-boned another driver, Cathy Garcia, near East 161st Street and River Avenue at around 5:20 a.m. on Aug. 25, 2022, then fleeing the scene, prosecutors said. Garcia, a Bronx resident, died at the scene.

Authorities found the defendant's DNA on the driver's side airbag and recovered a dozen stolen catalytic converters, according to court records.

Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark said Garcia, killed "a beloved sister and aunt."

"It is outrageous that we lost a vibrant member of the community because of the defendant’s reckless actions," Clark said.

Two other men were passengers in Garcia's vehicle at the time of the fatal wreck.

The three men allegedly ran off after the collision, leaving behind the BMW, which had no license plates and about a dozen stolen catalytic converters in the trunk, along with a jack used to boost the parts, according to police. The men even left behind their shoes, according to authorities.

Catalytic converters are a popular target for thieves due to the valuable precious metals inside and the relative ease with which they can be stolen.