A Lancaster city man was sentenced to 3-6 years in prison Monday by Lancaster County Judge Merrill Spahn for striking and killing 66-year-old Dr. Steven Killough in the crosswalk between N. Prince and W. Chestnut Streets on Oct. 29, 2021.

Rodolfo Paradas, 54 of the first block of S. Water Street, entered an open guilty plea in January 2024 on charges of accidents involving death or personal injury, accidents involving death while not licensed, and three summaries charges.

Assistant District Attorney Caitlin Blazier read a statement from the victim’s daughter during the proceeding before asking for at least the mandatory minimum of 3 years.

“This case is multifaceted,” Blazier said. “There is a family here suffering with the loss of a loved one. We also have this defendant who suffered their own tragedy.”

Paradas struck Killough while driving on a rainy afternoon around 5:45 p.m. on Oct. 29, 2021, in Lancaster city. He helped the victim to the side of the road before leaving the scene without providing information to the police.

Video footage obtained through the Lancaster Safety Coalition showed the vehicle and police tracked down the driver, who was identified as Paradas.

Paradas did not have a valid license to drive as it had been previously revoked in Massachusetts.

Killough died Nov. 12, 2021, due to a traumatic brain injury suffered in the collision.

Paradas stated he got scared and left the scene because he didn’t have a valid license.

“Because you got scared and left the scene, that makes this the correct charge,” Judge Spahn said. “If you stayed it likely would’ve been a traffic citation. The flaw you had that evening was driving, you shouldn’t have been driving.”

Paradas appeared before the court on a gurney with medical personnel after a fall from a roof left him paralyzed from the waist down shortly following the hit-and-run incident.

Lancaster City Bureau of Police Officer Ziyi Skatz filed charges.

MEDIA CONTACT: Sean McBryan, semcbryan@co.lancaster.pa.us; Twitter: @SeanMcBryanLanc.