Deadly hit-and-run suspect allegedly told police he felt a bump, decided to keep driving home

Police arrested 27-year-old Gonzalo Pasillas II for the March 2, 2016 hit-and-run that killed 33-year-old Ruth Naomi DeSoto.

According to a complaint affidavit obtained by the ABC-7 I-Team, police identified Pasillas II as the driver of the car that struck DeSoto with fingerprints lifted from a headlight that fell off the suspect vehicle at the scene.

On July 1, 2016, police arrested Pasillas II because he was allegedly driving drunk. His fingerprints allegedly matched the prints lifted from the headlight.

During a police interview, Pasillas II told police he was on his phone browsing Facebook the night of the hit-and-run. Pasillas II said he felt a bump when he allegedly ran over DeSoto, but just kept driving.

Pasillas II is charged with “accident involving personal injury of death.” Police arrested Pasillas II July 6th and booked him into the county jail Downtown on a $25,000 bond.

Police said DeSoto was driving north on U.S. 54 when she struck the center median and rolled. She was thrown out of her Jeep Liberty and landed on the southbound lanes, police said.

Witnesses were trying to help DeSoto when Pasillas II ran over the woman and allegedly failed to stop and render aid.

DeSoto’s parents, Rudy and Nilda DeSoto, are still mourning their daughter’s death, but amazingly, have already found forgiveness in their hearts.

“He knows he’s been forgiven from both of us but in order to fully forgive that, in order to fully experience that forgiveness, he needs to know that in his heart, he needs to make that right with the lord, that’s a critical point,” Rudy said.

Nilda said the focus is now on their five year-old granddaughter Eden. “At night, she has nightmares, every night,” Nilda said, “In the daytime she is okay, at nighttime is when she says, ‘I miss my mommy.'”