Plea to the Court and Sentencing for Fatal Crash

Rudy Ayala, 20, was sentenced to 127 months in prison after doing an open plea to the court for multiple charges involving a fatal crash in Lehigh Acres in July 2018. Defendants can choose to plea to the court and have the judge sentence them without going to trial.

In the crash, Ayala lost control of his car and drove into a canal. A 20-year-old female passenger later died from her injuries. Ayala was adjudicated guilty today on all counts. He was charged with DUI Manslaughter, Possession of a Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana.

Following his prison sentence, he will be on three years of state probation. He also had his driver’s license suspended for life. Ayala will also pay a $5,000 fine and court costs plus attend a DUI school and go through a substance abuse evaluation and counseling.

Assistant State Attorney Martin Stark of our Vehicular Homicide Unit and Assistant State Attorney Paul Thomas prosecuted the case.

Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
ssyoen@sao20.org
239-533-1125