A Texas drunk driver convicted of a fatal hit-and-run that killed a police officer while directing traffic broke down and cried as she was sentenced to 43 years in prison.
Lavillia Spry, 43, burst into tears as she was sentenced Thursday for the death of Harris County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Ramon Gutierrez, 45, in a crash nearly three years ago.
She was drunk when she dodged emergency vehicles and crashed into Gutierrez while he was standing on a highway escorting traffic, before fleeing the scene.
Tributes poured in for father-of-three Gutierrez, with loved ones describing him as an “incredible man” during victim impact statements read in front of Spry before she began her sentence.
Lavillia Spry, 43, seen during her trial, was sentenced to 43 years in prison this week for fatally hitting and running a police officer nearly three years ago.
Spry was drunk when she hit and killed Harris County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Ramon Gutierrez, a 45-year-old father of three, in a horrific accident.
At the conclusion of her trial, Spry was convicted by a jury after only 15 minutes of deliberation on charges of intoxication manslaughter.
The accident occurred on the night of January 24, 2022, when Gutiérrez was working on an out-of-service motorcycle to escort a heavy load on a highway. He had reportedly been working extra jobs at the time to pay for his daughter’s upcoming wedding.
Gutierrez was off his motorcycle at the time and was standing with a reflective jacket and flashlight, with emergency vehicles parked nearby.
Spry, who had given birth just a month before the incident, circled around the emergency vehicles and accelerated toward the sergeant, dragging him a short distance.
Authorities said she continued driving and fled the scene before an officer following her stopped and arrested her shortly after.
Arresting officers said she appeared impaired and attempted to resist arrest when she was taken into custody.
Spry, seen in her mugshot, had given birth just a month before the fatal collision in January 2022, and attempted to flee the scene and resist arrest after hitting Gutierrez.
Gutierrez was working off-duty escorting a heavy load on the highway when Spry, intoxicated, surrounded the emergency vehicles and struck him, dragging him to the other side of the road.
Gutierrez was airlifted to the hospital but succumbed to his injuries. He had served with the HCSO for 13 years and was described by HSCO Sheriff Ed Gonzalez as an “excellent” officer who provided “exemplary service.”
González said Gutiérrez was “loved” by his colleagues and that the scars of his death “will remain there forever” in his department.
Following Spry’s arrest, his bail was revoked and increased by $50,000 after he was found to have violated his bail conditions when his SCRAM monitoring device detected alcohol in his system, ABC13 reports.