Man killed, woman critical after they're hit on Poplar Street Bridge
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Sunday, Sep. 25, 2011

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A man died and a woman was left in critical condition after they were hit early Sunday morning on the Poplar Street Bridge by a driver who was sought by police.

The driver had just hit a St. Louis Police Department patrol car and left the scene, according to Illinois State Police.

The driver, 25-year-old Brandon Oggun Garcia, an illegal immigrant who appeared to be intoxicated, was taken to the St. Clair County Jail pending charges.

The victims were walking on the bridge. The identity of the male victim was not immediately released by police because his family had not yet been notified. Police had not yet determined the identity of the female victim as of 10 a.m. Sunday.

Illinois State Police gave the following account:

About 3:30 a.m. Sunday, the driver of a 2003 Ford Mustang hit the St. Louis Police vehicle and fled the scene. The St. Louis officer following and attempted to stop the driver, but the driver fled east across the bridge.

While crossing the bridge, the Mustang hit two pedestrians who were walking on the bridge deck. One pedestrian, a black male, was knocked off the bridge. He was taken to Saint Louis University Hospital and pronounced dead.

The other victim, a white female, remained in the roadway after being hit. She was alive as of about 10 a.m. but was in critical condition at SLUH.

The driver of the Mustang stopped at Illinois 3 and Eighth Street in East St. Louis. Both the driver and passenger appeared to be intoxicated.

Neither the driver nor the passenger spoke English, so an interpreter was contacted. The driver was given a breath test at Cahokia Police Department, and he registered a 0.16 percent blood-alcohol content. In Illinois, a motorist is considered intoxicated at 0.08 percent.

The driver then was taken to Memorial Hospital in Belleville for additional tests. The driver admitted to not being in the country legally.

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