A Lake City man on Aug. 26 was sentenced by an Alachua County judge to 15 years in prison for a July 2024 fatal crash that occurred while fleeing a traffic stop in northwest Gainesville.
Eric Javah Baker, 22, was sentenced as part of a plea deal with prosecutors on charges of fleeing or attempting to elude, vehicular homicide/failure to render aid, reckless driving causing serious bodily injury, and leaving the scene of a crash involving death.
As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors had sought a sentence of 25 years, while the defense asked for 10 years. On top of the 15-year prison sentence handed down by the judge, Baker, once released, will serve 10 years of probation. He was given credit for 396 days time served.
According to Baker’s arrest report, on July 26, 2024, Gainesville police officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop about 6:40 p.m. on a black Infiniti for suspicion of illegal tint and a stop bar violation. The Infiniti stopped on Northeast 10th Avenue, west of its intersection with Northeast Second Street.
As officers approached the vehicle, the driver “hastily departed.” The officers returned to their vehicle and activited their emergency lights. A GPD social media release at the time noted that the officers did not pursue the vehicle.
A short time later, the Infiniti was involved in a crash with a red Dodge sedan at the intersection of Northwest 10th Avenue and Northwest Sixth Street. The driver of the Dodge, Christopher Alvord, 20, suffered a traumatic brain injury, according to the report, and later died. Alvord died one day before his 21st birthday.
Witnesses reported that Baker — with an apparent broken ankle — attempted to flee the scene. He was quickly found, however, and taken into custody by deputies and a GPD K-9 unit,
Three passengers in the Infiniti were hospitalized with serious injuries.
This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: Lake City man who fled traffic stop sentenced for 2024 fatal crash in Gainesville
Reporting by Alan Festo, Gainesville Sun / The Gainesville Sun
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