A young woman already behind bars for her involvement in a violent October 2012 crime spree will now also stand trial for allegedly assaulting a deputy at the Las Colinas Detention Center.
Cindy Garcia, 19, is accused of attacking a San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy at the women’s detention facility in San Diego’s East County. According to officials, the assault happened in Oct. 2013 and involved Garcia and one other inmate.
On Tuesday, a preliminary hearing was held for Garcia in connection with these assault charges.
On the stand, a fellow inmate and witness claimed Garcia talked openly about her plans to attack a deputy with her girlfriend, allegedly stating her girlfriend was going to “smash on a cop," while she allegedly planned to "slap or punch a deputy."
The witness said Garcia's reason for the assault was allegedly to secure more jail time for her girlfriend, so they could stay together behind bars. The witness said Garcia believed the assault would result in officials housing her alongside her girlfriend in a certain part of the jail.
In the end, a judge bound Garcia over for trial on three charges, including conspiracy to commit a crime, assault with force and battery against an officer. Garcia is scheduled to appear in court again on Feb. 10 to face trial for those counts.
These charges are the latest on a laundry list of counts against Garcia, who was already in jail for allegedly taking part in a two-day crime spree involving her much older husband, Phillip Hernandez.
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Timeline: Violent October 2012 Crime Spree
According to officials, the couple’s violent rampage across San Diego County began on Oct. 29, 2012, and included a series of armed hold-ups, a carjacking, car fire and the execution-style shooting of veteran off-duty San Diego police officer Les Stewart.
Hernandez was killed in a gun battle with police in Barrio Logan on Oct. 31, 2012. Garcia was arrested at the scene for her involvement in the crime spree and ultimately slapped with 18 charges, including the attempted murder of a peace officer. She’s scheduled to appear in court on Mar. 3 to face those counts.
