Man faces charges after fiery crash that injured mother, 2 children in Fort Myers

Last Saturday, a Fort Myers police officer rushed to save a child from a burning car in the city. The child’s mother and sibling were also passengers in the car when it crashed, and all three had to go to the hospital.

The crash happened near the intersection with Michigan Avenue and Veronica S Shoemaker Boulevard. Investigators say the mother begged the driver to stop the car multiple times.

According to the police report, suspect Marvin Javier Garcia-Brizuela, 27, was drunk, speeding and running stop signs and red lights before he crashed an SUV into a guardrail.

Even with two children inside, Garcia-Brizuela wouldn’t stop the car, telling the passenger, “I control this, and I don’t care.”

Investigators say Garcia-Brizuela ran away after crashing into the guardrail.

According to the report, Garcia-Brizuela never helped the woman or the two children, who were all injured. Moments later, the car caught on fire with one child still inside, and a responding police officer pulled them out.

The woman told police she feared for the life of herself and her children.

Garcia-Brizuela faces charges for child abuse and false imprisonment.

Garcia-Brizuela is in custody at Lee County Jail, where he had already been booked for unrelated charges when new charges related to the crash were brought against him. His bond is set at more than $85,000.