Elmhurst Man Sentenced to Four Years in Fatal Hit and Run

An Elmhurst man who fled the scene of a fatal accident in 2010 was sentenced Monday to four years in prison.

Rocio Garza, 23, of 161 W. Van Buren, to one count of failure to report an accident involving a fatality, a Class 1 Felony, in February. At that time, his attorneys told the court that he panicked after hitting Robert Vincze, 30, of Michigan.

On Dec. 12, 2010, at about 4:30 a.m., Garza was coming home from work, driving eastbound on Butterfield Road just west of Eola Road in Aurora, when he struck Vincze from behind. Vincze was walking alongside the road returning to his friend's vehicle, which had run out of gas. Garza stopped briefly and then fled the scene.

Vincze died of massive neck and head injuries. An investigation conducted by the Aurora Police led to Garza, who was arrested at his home Dec. 14, 2010. Garza has been bail since Dec. 16, 2010.

“Mr. Garza’s reckless actions cost an innocent man, Robert Vincze, his life,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a prepared statement Monday. “By leaving the scene of the accident in an attempt to avoid responsibility, Mr. Garza succeeded only in making a horrible situation worse. "

Berlin thanked the Aurora, Elmhurst and Chicago police departments for their work in apprehending Garza, as well as Assistant State’s Attorney Joe Lindt.

Garza will receive credit for more than 16 months served in county jail. He will be required to serve two years of his four-year sentence before being eligible for parole.