Photo: GoFundMe/Team Garcia Family
A Texas father died this week after he was allegedly attacked as he attempted to protect his daughter from her boyfriend.
Last Saturday, Eric Garcia intervened when he allegedly witnessed his daughter’s boyfriend of one month, Jaime Apodaca, physically and verbally assaulting her, KXANreports.
The fight between the men became so violent that Garcia was left with a skull fracture, an inter-cranial trauma, and a herniated brain — injuries so severe that he eventually died, CBS Austinsaid.
After getting into the altercation, Apocada allegedly took a swing at his girlfriend as she attempted to pull him away from her father, according to the arrest warrant KXAN reports.
Eric Garcia.GoFundMe/Team Garcia Family
The fight allegedly continued down a flight of stairs and then outside the home, according to the warrant.
It was there that Apodaca allegedly punched Garcia so hard that he hit his head on the cement sidewalk, causing major brain swelling and injury, Rock Schouman, Garcia’s friendsaid on a Facebook campaign page.
“His heart quit beating on the driveway and it took over 15 minutes with the paramedics to get his heartbeat back,” Schouman explained.
Garcia was transported to a hospital, where he was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and put in a coma and on a breathing machine. According to KXAN, Garcia had suffered a skull fracture, an inter-cranial trauma, and a herniated brain.
Schouman set up aGoFundMe campaignfor Garcia’s family to help with expenses so they could “get through this trying time without losing their home.”
Schouman added on Facebook of his friend: “He would have helped any of us, and that is fact.”
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As of Friday evening, the GoFundMe campaign had raised over $3,400 while the Facebook fundraiser had more than $3,500.
His bonds currently total $165,000. At this time, it is unclear if Apodaca has retained an attorney.
“He tried to split up a fight,” Schouman said to the outlet. “He was such a quiet, nice, humble person, you know. He didn’t really deserve what happened to him.”
source: people.com
