By Jon King / jking@whmi.com


A trial has been ordered for a Livingston County man charged with throwing a sandbag onto a woman’s car as she drove on I-96, seriously injuring her.

41-year-old David Vincent Garcia of Brighton was in 52-1 District Court in Novi last week for an exam on a felony charge of throwing objects at trains/cars causing serious impairment. Testimony was provided by Cindy Eckley of Livonia, who related the eye injuries she suffered when a sandbag came crashing through the windshield of her car on October 4th as she drove westbound on I-96 underneath the Old Plank Road overpass.

Garcia was arrested after Michigan State Police were dispatched to the scene on the report of a traffic crash. A preliminary investigation indicated Garcia crashed his truck at that location and then reportedly walked up onto the overpass and began heaving 40 pound sandbags onto the freeway below. State Police say Garcia was then picked up by a passerby who drove him to his home in Brighton. During the drive, troopers say Garcia told the passerby what had happened. That driver then contacted State Police and gave them Garcia’s address. State Police says Garcia’s shoes matched footprints found in the sand at the crime scene.

After hearing the testimony, District Court Judge Travis Reeds found there was enough evidence to send the case to trial and bound the case over to Oakland County Circuit Court, where an arraignment is set for December 23rd. If convicted, Garcia faces up to ten years in prison.