Felon admits eliminating lady in hit-and-run on Murrieta walkway, gets 11-year sentence

A founded guilty felon who ran over and killed a 71-year-old lady walking on a pathway in Murrieta while he was driving drunk pleaded guilty Tuesday to DUI gross automobile manslaughter and other offenses and was right away sentenced to 11 years in state jail.

Rodney Wayne Phillips, 58, of Hemet admitted the murder count, in addition to hit-and-run resulting in death and being an unlicensed operator of a motor vehicle, in addition to sentence-enhancing allegations of leaving the scene of a criminal activity and triggering terrific bodily injury to a susceptible victim, under a plea contract with the Riverside County District Attorney's Office.

No charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal, which was licensed by Superior Court Judge Elaine Kiefer throughout a hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. Kiefer enforced the regard to imprisonment specified under the plea bargain.

Phillips fatally struck Gloria Ann Henry of Murrieta as she strolled along Clinton Keith Road, simply east of Via Mariposa, on March 23, 2022.

According to Lt. Spencer Parker of the Murrieta Police Department, at about 8:10 a.m. that day, Henry was strolling within the walkway area on the north side of Clinton Keith when Phillips approached in a full-size pickup, traveling at an unknown speed, in westbound lanes.

" Through witness statements, private investigators learned that the suspect drove onto the sidewalk and struck the victim," Parker said. "He then got away the scene."

Henry was hurried to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where she passed away less than an hour later on. Patrol officers browsed the location and located Phillips' pickup 3 blocks away, with him still in it, according to Parker. He stated the defendant was detained without occurrence.

According to court records, Phillips has prior convictions for spousal abuse, receiving taken property, breaking a domestic violence restraining order, belongings of controlled substances and domestic assault leading to a traumatic condition.

He has formerly served time in state jail, records revealed.