A St. Paul woman was sentenced Thursday to a little over four years in prison for running over and killing her boyfriend on the East Side of St. Paul in late January.
Arlene P. Garcia, 54, pleaded guilty in March to criminal vehicular homicide in the death of Mark L. Urang, 50. Her attorney, Christopher Anderson, argued Thursday before Ramsey County District Judge Leonardo Castro that it was an accident.
"This was a tragic accident," Anderson said. "Mark was someone she was in love with."
Anderson said the two were engaged. He argued that Garcia suffers from neurological damage and cognitive problems even while sober and that the night of Urang's death those problems were compounded by alcohol.
The charges filed against Garcia gave a less forgiving picture of that night. According to the complaint, Urang was run down by Garcia as he was on the phone with 911 calling for help.
In the recording, Urang is heard describing the suspect as Garcia. An argument, a scuffle and the sound of Urang apparently being run over ends the call. He was struck about 10:45 p.m. in the 600 block of Wells Street near Payne Avenue. He suffered a skull fracture and massive hemorrhaging. and died the next day.
A bartender at Louie's Bar told police that Urang and Garcia had been drinking and arguing. Witnesses described Garcia as acting "crazy" and "extremely intoxicated," charges said.
Garcia was yelling at Urang, and the bartender asked her to leave, the charges said. Garcia appeared to be extremely intoxicated when officers arrived at the couple's home.
