OAG Secures Conviction of Driver Who Leaves Scene With Injuries To Victim

May 12, 2022- Tamuning, Guam- John Leonard Mata Cruz was convicted Monday by a jury of his peers of Leaving the Scene with Injuries as a Third Degree Felony. Earlier this year, Cruz was operating his vehicle in Malesso when his vehicle struck an individual. Cruz subsequently left the scene without providing his contact information or vehicle information to the injured person.

Cruz was also charged with Aggravated Assault as a Third Degree Felony; the jury found him not guilty.

Prosecuting Attorney Grant Olan, co-chair to Chief Prosecutor J. Basil O’Mallan, said, “With this conviction, we have shown that carelessly driving off after hitting someone with your car is unacceptable and will not go unpunished. We want to thank the jury for their thoughtful deliberations.”

Cruz faces up to five years imprisonment at the Department of Corrections. His sentence will be determined by Judge Vernon P. Perez at a sentencing hearing to be scheduled by the court.