Troopers seek driver accused of causing deadly crash near Lynden

Detectives have identified a driver accused of causing a high-speed crash that killed a Lummi woman in August south of Lynden.

State troopers believe Luciano Ailon-Garcia was driving his green Ford Explorer at “an extremely high rate of speed” around 5 a.m. Aug. 28, when he lost control in a left curve in the 500 block of West Pole Road.

The Ford sailed about 80 feet through the air as it crashed into a raspberry field, according to the Washington State Patrol. The wreckage wasn’t discovered for about two hours.

Georgianna Marie James, of the Lummi Reservation, died when she was ejected from the front passenger seat, according to the state patrol. She was 32. Authorities don’t believe she wore a seat belt.

Another man in the back seat, 29, suffered fractured ribs.

Over the past months detectives established Ailon-Garcia was driving, in large part through witness accounts, and the fact that it was his 2004 Ford, said Trooper Travis Shearer.

Troopers suspect Ailon-Garcia fled the scene. He’s wanted for hit and run of a fatality, vehicular homicide and vehicular assault, authorities announced Thursday.

Ailon-Garcia’s last known address was at 920 Birch Bay-Lynden Road. Detectives suspect he may left Whatcom County, and returned to the area in recent days. He’s about 4-foot-10 and 170 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair.

Tips about Ailon-Garcia’s whereabouts can be directed to Detective Jeffrey Rhue, 360-654-1142, or Jeffrey.Rhue@wsp.wa.gov. Or call the district office in Marysville at 360-654-1140.

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 2:24 PM with the headline "Troopers seek driver accused of causing deadly crash near Lynden."