A quiet Saturday afternoon in Denver turned deadly in a senseless act of road rage that claimed the life of 28-year-old Miguel Baray, a married father of two young girls. On November 26, 2016, Baray was on his way to see his daughters participate in a wedding at their church. He would never arrive.
While stopped at a stop sign near the intersection of West Kentucky Avenue and Federal Boulevard, another driver, later identified as 28-year-old David Garcia, honked his horn because he felt
Baray was taking too long to move. In response, Baray gestured with his middle finger. This seemingly minor exchange escalated tragically when Garcia drove his dark-colored Audi TT, which was later reported as stolen, alongside Baray's black Honda. Garcia then fired a shot, striking Baray in the torso. Baray's car rolled forward and struck a parked vehicle as he slumped over in the driver's seat. He was the sole occupant of the car.
Rushed to Denver Health Medical Center, Miguel Baray was pronounced dead that same afternoon. Police, initially responding to what they believed was a car crash, found Baray with a gunshot wound. Their investigation quickly led them to David Garcia. The stolen Audi was located later that evening, and Garcia was arrested about 40 minutes later in another vehicle nearby. A. 45-caliber handgun was discovered under his seat.
Following his arrest, Garcia, a man with a lengthy criminal record that included arrests for aggravated assault, domestic violence, and burglary, reportedly waived his Miranda rights and admitted to the shooting. He claimed he didn't intend to shoot Baray, but rather to fire a shot over the car to 'prove a point.' Garcia was charged with first-degree murder. In a further development, it was revealed that Garcia was also a person of interest in another homicide that had occurred on Thanksgiving Day of the same year. Miguel Baray was remembered by his family as a quiet, hardworking man, an avid Broncos fan who adored his wife and daughters. His life was cut short over a brief and needless confrontation on a city street.
