Joe Ruiz was sentenced on May 8, 2025, to the maximum sentence of 20 years in prison for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon. This sentencing follows a Brazos County Jury's guilty verdict on January 29, 2025, after a two-day trial in the 272nd District Court. The jury also found that Ruiz used his vehicle as a deadly weapon in a manner capable of causing death or serious bodily injury, a finding that mandates he serve at least half of his sentence before parole eligibility.
The punishment phase of the trial was scheduled to begin on May 8, 2025, but Ruiz accepted the statutory maximum punishment and entered his plea that same morning.
The incident occurred on March 9, 2019, around 2 a.m. outside a downtown Bryan bar as it was closing. Ruiz and two other individuals were involved in a fight, during which Ruiz was struck in the head with a glass bottle. A crowd intervened, separating the individuals.
As people began walking away, Ruiz quickly entered his Mercedes, reversed out of his parking space, and backed into the crowd in what appeared to be an act of retaliation. Witnesses reported that the crowd scattered as Ruiz then pointed his vehicle directly at them and deliberately accelerated into the group. His actions resulted in serious injuries to several victims, who were struck by his car and violently thrown into the air. Two individuals sustained critical injuries.
The jury was presented with evidence, including surveillance video, depicting the entire sequence of events, from the initial altercation to the horrific moments of impact. After hitting the victims, Ruiz continued driving through the streets of Bryan, leaving broken parts of his vehicle behind. He eventually concealed his car in the backyard of his residence, parking it between two trees and covering it with a sheet.
Victims received on-scene treatment from the Bryan Fire Department, while Bryan Police Officers investigated the crime. The case was investigated by Bryan PD Detective Candido Amaya and prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Escue and David Kaldas, with support from District Attorney Office Investigator James Woodward and Victim Assistance Coordinator James Mandie.
Assistant District Attorneys Jessica Escue and David Kaldas stated, "The defendant used a motor vehicle to attack and injure multiple victims in downtown Bryan. This punishment in this case was well deserved."
