Utah Mom Tried To Impersonate Daughter To Evade Arrest, Police Say

Heather Garcia allegedly told cops she was born in 1998; her mug shot is going viral.

September 03, 2019
Mug shot of Heather Garcia [Davis County Jail]

Photo by: Mug shot of Heather Garcia [Davis County Jail]

Mug shot of Heather Garcia [Davis County Jail]

By: Mike McPadden

A 38-year-old Utah woman who was pulled over for allegedly driving without a license plate tried to pass herself off as her 21-year-old daughter to avoid arrest, according to police.

Heather Garcia, 38, was reportedly stopped on Main Street in Farmington on Saturday night after an officer allegedly noticed her silver BMW did not have a license plate.

Davis County Police claim a search of the vehicle turned up drug paraphernalia and a "white powdery substance."

When officers asked Garcia for identification, she allegedly told them her name was Mercedes and said she was born in 1998. A check of police records reportedly revealed Mercedes is the name of Garcia's 21-year-old daughter.

Authorities claim that once they got a positive ID on Garcia, they discovered she had outstanding warrants on numerous charges. The warrants allegedly included charges for possession or use of a controlled substance, marijuana possession of more than 16 ounces, and driving on a denied license.

According to inmate records, Garcia was arrested Saturday on charges of drug possession, driving with a revoked license, and offering false personal information to a police officer. She is now reportedly held at Davis County Jail under both the previous warrants and her new charges.

Next Up

Shaniece Harris Disappeared From New York In 2017, Her Family Is Still Searching For Answers

Shaniece Harris has brown hair, brown eyes, and stands 5 feet 8 inches tall. She was 31 years old when she vanished. If you have any information on where Shaniece could be, please contact the FBI directly: 212-384-1000.

In 2016, Kristal Reisinger Said She Was Raped, Then She Vanished In The Colorado Woods

Rumors surround the alleged sexual assault and disappearance of the 29-year-old mom, who went missing on July 13, 2016.

‘Mom Influencer’ Sentenced After Falsely Accusing Couple Of Trying To Kidnap Her Children

In 2020, Katie Sorensen falsely accused a couple of trying to kidnap her kids in a viral Instagram video and a local news program. Now, she will spend 90 days in jail for falsely reporting a crime.

Diamond And Tionda Bradley Vanished In 2001

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children said thousands of leads have come in over the years on this case, but the girls (now women) have never been located.

Michigan Teen Ciara Stacho Disappeared In 2015, Remains Missing Today

Ciara Stacho went missing from Michigan in August 2015. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) produced an age-enhanced photo of what Ciara Stacho may look like as an 18-year-old.

Chicago Police Release Video Of Pregnant Kierra Coles Before She Vanished

Kierra Coles, 26, was three months pregnant when she went missing from Chicago, Illinois in 2018. In June 2022, Chicago police released the last recorded images of Coles leaving a store after using an ATM.

Florida Mom Shot And Killed After Knocking On Neighbor’s Door

Ajike ‘AJ’ Owens was shot after knocking on the door of a neighbor who complained about the victim’s children playing in the neighborhood and reportedly used racist slurs against the family.

'Happy Face Killer': How Keith Jesperson’s Daughter Discovered His Deadly Secret

“There was just something ‘off’ about him,” Melissa Moore says of the serial killer.

Inside The Tragic Hart Family Murder-Suicide Crash

Jennifer and Sarah Hart killed themselves and murdered their six adopted children in 2018 by driving their SUV off a cliff in California.

Utah Mom Who Wrote Children’s Book About Grief After Husband’s Death Now Charged With His Murder

A 33-year-old widowed mother-of-three wrote a children’s book to help her bereaved children deal with grief in the aftermath of their father’s death. Only months after the book was published, she was arrested for his murder.