Affidavit reveals new details on alleged drunk driving wreck that destroyed fallen officer memorial

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - Court documents reveal new details about an alleged drunk driving incident that destroyed Topeka’s law enforcement memorial.

13 NEWS received the arresting affidavit Wednesday for Maicol Garcia-Soto, 27. According to the affidavit, the entire Nov. 13, 2022 incident was caught on the Law Enforcement Center’s surveillance cameras.

The affidavit states the video showed Garcia-Soto’s Chevy Tahoe come wide around the corner of SE 5th as it turns into SE Quincy, going back and forth across the lanes and off the street as it pulled up to a red light at SE 4th St.

According to the affidavit, the SUV did not move when the light turned green, but when it turned red again, Garcia-Soto accelerated straight into the LEC parking lot, through a pole designed to stop vehicles from ramming the building, and into the Topeka Police and Shawnee Co. Sheriff’s Fallen Officer Memorial.

The Tahoe then went into reverse over another pole, hitting a sign as it continued backward through the 4th St. intersection, off the road, and into a building across the street.

According to the affidavit, Garcia-Soto smelled of alcohol, slurred his speech, spit on several officers and kicked one officer as he was taken to the hospital for treatment and to have his blood drawn. The document did not state what his blood alcohol level was found to be. The affidavit also refers to putting a “spit hood” on Garcia-Soto at the scene so that officers could speak to him without being spit on. It also states Garcia-Soto admitted to several officers that he had been drinking alcohol that night.

Garcia-Soto has a March 30 docket hearing on charges including driving under the influence and felony counts of criminal damage, criminal desecration and interference with law enforcement.

The affidavit states the collisions did $25,000 damage to the memorial and $30,000 to the building.

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