Man accused in death of passenger in Tacoma wreck had meth in his blood, charges say
A man accused of driving while under the influence of drugs and crashing his truck in Tacoma, killing a man in his passenger seat, has been charged.
Jason Hedglin, 57, was charged Friday with vehicular homicide in Pierce County Superior Court. He was charged in the death of Gilbert Garcia, 51, of Steilacoom, who died of multiple blunt force impact injuries.
Hedglin has yet to be arraigned.
Hedglin was driving a white truck with Garcia in the passenger seat Dec. 7, 2020, when Hedglin allegedly struck the rear of another vehicle and then veered into a tree on the side of the road, according to the declaration for determination of probable cause.
The wreck left Garcia with a severe head laceration, according to the probable cause statement. He died hours later at the hospital.
Toxicology results later indicated methamphetamine, codeine, morphine, clonazepam, methadone and amphetamine were in Hedglin’s blood, according to the probable cause statement.
Charging papers gave this account of what happened:
A Tacoma Police Department officer was driving south Dec. 7 on Pacific Avenue when he saw an out-of-control white truck collide with a tree in front of a residence in the 6300 block. The truck’s passenger side was caved in from the crash.
Inside the truck, the officer found Hedglin leaning on the steering wheel airbag. Garcia was crumpled in a ball with his head on the glovebox, according to the court document. He had a severe head injury. The officer noted Garcia wasn’t wearing a seat belt.
The police officer told the men to stay still and wait for medical aid.
Prosecutors wrote that another driver told police he was driving south on Pacific Avenue in a Ford F350 when his truck was hit by Hedglin’s. The man said Hedglin was driving in the lane next to him when the truck appeared to lose control and strike the right rear side of the F350.
According to the declaration of probable cause, Hedglin’s truck veered into the other man’s lane in front of him, then made a wide right turn straight into a tree on the west side of the road.
This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 1:59 PM.
