VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — A judge sentenced a Virginia Beach man to 15 years in prison Wednesday after hitting a woman with a vehicle and driving off in August 2021.
Justin Gary Barboza, 29, pled guilty to charges of driving under the influence -- his third offense within 10 years -- and hit and run that caused personal injury, according to the Virginia Beach Commonwealth's Attorney's Office.
Authorities said the hit-and-run happened in the Bayside section of Virginia Beach on the morning of Aug. 26, 2021, when Barboza was driving east on Shore Drive around 8:15 a.m.
As he approached the intersection with First Court Road, a 54-year-old woman walked her dog across the intersection in the crosswalk. Barboza hit the woman with his passenger side mirror, knocking her to the pavement.
Instead of stopping, Barboza continued driving east on Shore Drive. He didn't report the incident to the police, provide his information to the woman or help her, the Commonwealth's Attorney's Office said.
The woman had serious injuries, including a fractured skull and concussion. People who saw what happened helped her while she lay on the ground bleeding. Her dog wasn't hurt.
A witness reported seeing Barboza driving fast on Shore Drive and pulling into the parking lot of American Brew, a mile from the crash location, to check his side mirror.
Using pieces of the side mirror left at the crash scene, officers determined the vehicle was a 2011 to 2018 Dodge Ram pickup truck. Around 6:20 p.m., officers saw Barboza driving a white Dodge Ram that was missing its side mirror, on Greenwell Road. After stopping Barboza, officers noticed his slurred speech, a strong alcohol odor, and bloodshot and watery eyes. He didn't know what the date or time was, and he swayed while walking.
Barboza admitted to drinking four beers. He also had marijuana in his pocket and edibles in his car. He showed impairment on three sobriety tests and a blood test showed a .06 blood alcohol content, along with active THC and Xanax in his system.
When Barboza was asked about the hit-and-run crash, he initially denied being involved but later gave varying and inconsistent statements about who he had hit, where it happened, and whether a pedestrian was involved.
Barboza ended up admitting to hitting "a lady with a dog," saying he heard a thump on his mirror, looked back, and saw she was on the ground. But he added it looked like she was getting up.
He admitted he should have stopped to see if the woman was OK but he didn't because he was late to work. He said he stopped at American Brew before getting to work.
Barboza was previously convicted of driving under the influence (BAC between .15 and .20), DUI second offense in five years, felony hit and run, and misdemeanor hit and run.
In this sentencing, Barboza also had his license revoked and faces a $1,000 fine.
