A hit and run driver who fatally struck a man in Pacific Beach in 2019 was sentenced on March 30 to 180 days in jail, which will be followed by 180 days in a residential drug treatment program.

Taylor Suzanne Johnson, 38, was permitted to remain free on $50,000 bond until she surrenders on April 13 to the Las Colinas Women’s Detention Facility in Santee to start her sentence.

Johnson pleaded guilty to hit and run in the Aug. 4, 2019, death of Richard Henkel, 52, who was struck at 11:35 a.m. on the Grand Avenue off-ramp of Interstate 5. She also pleaded guilty to possession and transportation of methamphetamine in the same incident.

The medical examiner’s office said Henkel died from multiple blunt force injuries. The office said he was a transient.

Her damaged vehicle was found near her Clairemont home soon after the incident and she was arrested.

Her attorney filed court documents that said her boyfriend was in the car and yelling at her to keep driving. Her boyfriend had previously pleaded guilty to domestic violence in which she was the victim.  She panicked, was in a state of shock, and kept driving, according to her attorney.

“The crash itself was an accident. It was not her fault,” said her attorney Onell Soto. “She was confused and didn’t know what to do.”

The sentencing was held before El Cajon Superior Court Judge Kathleen Lewis who was recently transferred there and before whom Taylor pleaded guilty.

Lewis said she had changed her mind several times about the sentence after Taylor had picked up two additional cases while free on bond. The judge said she initially was going to send Taylor to prison but changed her mind and placed her on two years probation.

Lewis said Johnson kept driving because she didn’t want to get her boyfriend into any trouble as he was not supposed to be around her because of a restraining order.

Taylor was also placed on two years probation for commercial burglary in which she stole items from an office in La Jolla while out on bond. The office was used by the father of a friend of Taylor’s, and she later returned the items to the victim, said Lewis.

The judge said some of the items returned to the burglary victim in La Jolla were damaged and ordered Taylor to pay $750 in restitution.

Deputy District Attorney Philippa Cunningham urged Lewis to impose a two-year prison term, saying “probation is not the right call.”

Cunningham also mentioned the third case that involved “mailroom thefts.” Taylor pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count of possessing someone else’s credit card, and she also received probation.

Onell said she was currently working with her ex-husband, but does not have enough hours to qualify for a work furlough project.

“She’s not a bad person. She got hooked on drugs,” said Geoff Trudell, her ex-husband, who spoke on her behalf.

Johnson also told the judge she was very sorry and remorseful for her actions. The judge gave her credit for four days previously spent in jail.