ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A judge sentenced a man who pleaded guilty to stealing a state government vehicle and crashing it, killing a 10-year-old girl last year.

Bearden stole the vehicle from Expo New Mexico. A short time after that, he blew through a stop sign and crashed into another vehicle, all while high on meth.

10-year-old Penny Pizarro and her father, David, were in the other vehicle. Penny died three weeks after the crash. Her father sustained a traumatic brain injury. 

Bearden took a plea deal in August and faced up to 27 years in prison at sentencing Thursday. Ultimately, Judge Jennifer Wernersbach sentenced him to 22 years in prison and five years’ probation.

Bearden pleaded guilty to charges of DWI vehicular homicide, DWI great bodily harm by vehicle, knowingly leaving the scene of a crash involving great bodily harm or death, and stealing a vehicle.

Judge Wernersbach deemed the DWI great bodily harm by vehicle charge “a serious violent offense,” meaning Bearden will have to serve 85% of his sentence.

In the video above, see what went down in the courtroom during sentencing Thursday.

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