FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. (WSVN) - The driver behind a fatal Coral Springs hit-and-run in 2016 has been sentenced to 15 years in prison followed by five years of probation.
Twenty-year-old Gregory Holt cut a plea deal with the prosecution in October and was finally sentenced, Tuesday afternoon.
Holt was celebrating his 18th birthday when he took a stolen BMW for a joyride and crashed into 39-year-old Charlie Ruiz, back in September 2016.
Holt had lost control of the BMW along West Sample Road and State Road 441.
He then failed to navigate the curb, which caused his vehicle to flip and collide into Ruiz’s Mitsubishi Outlander.
Holt and his passenger fled from the scene on foot, never called police and said he was high and scared at the time.
Meanwhile, Ruiz was pronounced dead after rescue crews transported him to Broward Health North.
Holt was charged with leaving the scene of a fatal accident, vehicular manslaughter and driving without a license.
The maximum sentence for leaving the scene of a fatal accident was 52 years, but Holt’s sentence was decreased to 15 years.
The 20-year-old took the stand Tuesday to apologize to the Ruiz family, especially to the victim’s daughter, Angelica.
“Charlie didn’t deserve this. I know you’ll probably never forgive me. I just want to say I take full responsibility. I’m so sorry. I want you to know this was all an accident. I hope and pray one day you can show me mercy,” Holt said. “My bad decisions caused hurt to so many people, and I apologize to everyone in Charlie’s family and my family. I just hope one day you’ll forgive me. I’m sorry.”
Sentencing was part of the plea deal Holt took back in October.
However, he opened himself up to cross examination after taking the stand to apologize.
Because the case never went to trial, prosecutors then asked Holt about his lengthy criminal history and about the night of the incident.
“That’s Mr. Ruiz’s car that you hit. See the damage to that car?” a prosecutor asked Holt.
“Yes, sir,” Holt said in response.
“Is your testimony before the court that you didn’t know you hit somebody and caused that amount of damage?” the prosecutor continued.
“I didn’t know. I was high on the weed. It happened so fast,” Holt said.
The judge said Holt’s responses in court seemed disingenuous and that he sentenced the 20-year-old to 15 years because no sentence would help make anyone feel better.
“I just hope you could find it in your hearts to one day be able to forgive my son. That’s all I can ask,” said Gregory Holt Sr., the 20-year-old’s father.
The questioning wrapped up before Holt’s fate was decided.
Holt’s attorney tried to get the Youthful Offender sentence of 12 years because Holt had just turned 18 at the time of the incident.
His attorney said he was too young to appreciate the consequences of his actions from that day, but the judge did not agree.
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