An argument over what should have been a simple flat tire repair ended in a fatal shooting, and now a 21-year-old Indianapolis man is facing a murder charge. Prosecutors say a dispute over a $20 price increase escalated within moments, leaving one man dead and another under arrest.
Darious Averitte, 21, was arrested on June 26 in connection with the May shooting that killed 26-year-old Izaak Garcia, according to newly unsealed court records. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department announced the arrest on July 12, saying detectives identified Averitte as the suspect even though he was also wounded during the exchange.
After consulting with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, investigators obtained a murder warrant, and Averitte was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service, True Crime News reported. The newly released court records reveal how a disagreement over a tire repair fee spiraled into deadly gunfire.
All this over an extra $20? It’s hard to believe how fast it escalated
According to court documents obtained by FOX59, the confrontation began in early May after a group of people hit a pothole and pulled their disabled Chevy Malibu into a gas station at 10th and Emerson. Garcia agreed to change the flat tire for $10 but later told the group the price would be $30 instead.
Multiple witnesses told police Averitte became upset over the last-minute price change. One witness said the group would have paid the original $10 if Garcia had accepted it, but tensions rose after the higher amount was requested.
Surveillance video reportedly shows Averitte firing the first shots, while Garcia returned fire as he fell to the ground. Garcia was rushed to the hospital but later died from his injuries.
As the investigation continues, detectives are expected to rely heavily on physical evidence and witness accounts, much like another recent murder case in the UK where a suspect allegedly tried to mislead investigators by faking the evidence but was ultimately convicted.
Averitte was also wounded during the exchange and was driven away from the scene in the group’s vehicle. According to investigators, the car later lost control while driving on a flat donut tire and broke down near 11th and College, where responding officers found Averitte bleeding.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said the case highlights how minor disagreements continue to turn into deadly violence. IMPD Officer Tommy Thompson urged people to stop using firearms to settle disputes, noting that both this case and another homicide investigated around the same time in April began with arguments that could have ended peacefully.
Averitte is being held without bond at the Marion County jail as the case moves through the legal system. He has not yet entered a plea.
Every murder investigation unfolds differently once an arrest is made. In another recent case, two sisters accused of murder drew widespread attention after they were seen smiling at the camera during their arrest, prompting a blunt response from a police chief.
Published: Jul 17, 2026 06:45 pm