Public Safety
Jury awards $51.8 million in Antonio Garza fatal-shooting case
Garza’s family attorneys said a federal jury found San Bernardino County and two sheriff’s deputies liable on all counts after a seven-day civil trial.
A federal jury awarded $51.8 million Thursday to the mother of Antonio Garza Jr., who was fatally shot by San Bernardino County sheriff’s deputies in 2023, NBC Los Angeles reported, citing the family’s attorneys.
Case: Matilde Garza v. County of San Bernardino, ED CV 23-1849-CBM-SP
Verdict: $51.8 million in damages, according to the family’s attorneys
Trial: Seven days in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles
The federal court’s official calendar confirms the civil case was in its seventh day of jury trial before U.S. District Judge Consuelo B. Marshall on October 22. NBC reported that the family’s attorneys said jurors unanimously found the county and Deputies Nicholas Kridner and Bill Abernathy liable on all counts.
2023 pursuit ended near Palm Springs
Garza, 44, led deputies on a pursuit lasting more than half an hour from Yucca Valley to Interstate 10 near Palm Springs on February 5, 2023, after he was suspected of starting a fire, according to NBC’s account.
The family maintained that Garza had a history of mental illness known to the Sheriff’s Department and was shot 12 times. Its attorneys said a motorist’s video and an independent autopsy were important evidence because the deputies were not wearing body cameras.
NBC said the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department acknowledged the station’s request for comment but had not provided a response by publication time. The verdict may still be subject to post-trial motions or appeal.
Original reporting: NBC Los Angeles — published October 22, 2026 →
Official record: U.S. District Court calendar for October 22, 2026 →