David Richard Garcia Jr., who led Fresno police on a wild chase that ended with Garcia crashing at Scandinavian Middle School in early 2025, is headed to federal prison for 11 years and five months.

U.S. District Judge Kirk E. Sherriff handed down the sentence on Monday after Garcia pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm this past February.

According to court documents, Garcia had a loaded Glock 22 during a violent crime spree. Garcia came to law enforcement’s attention as a suspect in several catalytic converter thefts. Before his arrest, he led officers on a nearly 50-minute high-speed chase in which he ran red lights, crashed into a vehicle, and drove into oncoming traffic.

Garcia’s Rap Sheet

Garcia, 34, is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition, prosecutors said, because of prior felony convictions in Fresno County for robbery, assault, and evading a peace officer.

Homeland Security Investigations and the Fresno Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Veneman-Hughes prosecuted the case.