LINDALE, Texas — A Lindale man was sentenced to life in prison Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to striking and killing a woman riding on a scooter in 2022.
Ryan Pruitt, 25, entered a guilty plea to an accident involving death charge in connection with the July 4, 2022 death of Esperanza H. Guillen, 37, in the Lindale area. His plea was open so the judge decided his sentence. According to judicial records, he was then sentenced to life in prison.
The Texas Department of Public Safety reported Guillen was driving a 2019 Zhejiang Tao Tao EVO 50 south on County Road 4191 when a 2003 Buick Century that was traveling north struck the scooter. The driver of the Buick, who was later identified as Pruitt, left the scene.
According to indictments, Pruitt knowingly failed to stop at the scene of the crash or immediately return and wreck caused Guillen's death. He was also accused of tampering with evidence, including a license plate, clothing and blood, using bleach to impair the legibility and availability as evidence.
He pleaded guilty to the tampering charge as well and was sentenced to 20 years in prison, records show.
Kerissa Valenzuela, 28, is also charged with tampering with evidence for accusations of knowing about the July 4, 2022 crash and using bleach to impair the evidence, including a license plate, blood and clothing, according to her indictment.
Her trial is currently set for March 4 in the 241st District Court, jail records stated.