Felon Admits Killing Senior in Hit-and-Run on Murrieta Sidewalk

MURRIETA (CNS) – A convicted felon who ran over and killed a 71-year- old woman walking on a sidewalk in Murrieta while he was driving drunk pleaded guilty Tuesday to DUI gross vehicular manslaughter and other offenses and was immediately sentenced to 11 years in state prison.

Rodney Wayne Phillips, 58, of Hemet admitted the manslaughter count, along with hit-and-run resulting in death and being an unlicensed operator of a motor vehicle, as well as sentence-enhancing allegations of fleeing the scene of a crime and causing great bodily injury to a vulnerable victim, under a plea agreement with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office.

No charges were dismissed as part of the plea deal, which was certified by Superior Court Judge Elaine Kiefer during a hearing at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta. Kiefer imposed the term of imprisonment specified under the plea bargain.

Phillips fatally struck Gloria Ann Henry of Murrieta as she walked along Clinton Keith Road, just 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 walking within the sidewalk space 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, investigators learned that the suspect drove onto the sidewalk and struck the victim,” Parker said. “He then fled the scene.”

Henry was rushed to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, where she died less than an hour later. Patrol officers searched the area and located Phillips’ pickup three blocks away, with him still in it, according to Parker. He said the defendant was arrested without incident.

According to court records, Phillips has prior convictions for spousal abuse, receiving stolen property, violating a domestic violence restraining order, possession of controlled substances and domestic assault resulting in a traumatic condition.

He has previously served time in state prison, records showed.

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