On Oct. 19, a judge sentenced Gregory Dewayne Smith to nine years in prison after he admitted guilt to running over 32-year-old Ezequiel Quintanilla, resulting in his death.
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Houston police said the hit-and-run happened on Jan. 31, 2022, at 11043 Fuqua St.
Quintanilla and a 27-year-old woman were walking in the parking lot after watching a friend's band at El Buho bar when Smith hit them with his vehicle, according to charging documents.
Quintanilla died at the scene and the woman survived, according to investigators.
Court records state that Smith's passenger told police they had been drinking. She reportedly heard Smith say "he yelled he thought he just ran over someone," before driving away.
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Smith's attorney, Edward Okwueze, told ABC13 back in 2022 that the passenger's statements are contradictory, noting she also told police she did not remember leaving the bar or getting into Smith's black pickup truck.
Records show Smith was out of jail on a personal bond for a misdemeanor DWI at the time of the crash.
Eyewitness News spoke with Quintanilla's family back in January 2022, when police were still searching for Smith.
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