FAMILY OF A&M STUDENT AWARDED $69 MILLION IN DAMAGES

  

The family of a Texas A&M student that was killed in a hit-and-run incident has been awarded $69 million in damages.

According to a report by KBTX-TV, court documents show that a Brazos County Jury awarded the large sum to the family of Carly Beatty.

On September 15, 2019, Beatty, who was a 19-year-old sophomore at A&M, was walking on Texas Avenue with friends when she was struck by a vehicle driven by a then 18-year-old Pedro Puga of Bryan.

Puga attempted to flee the scene, but was later located by police in the parking lot of the Tejas Center and taken into custody.

Puga had a blood alcohol level of .032, plus he was also found to have THC, cocaine metabolites, and etizolam in his system.

Officers also found a handgun that Puga tossed into a bush as he tried to run.

Beatty was taken to St. Joseph’s Hospital in Bryan, and then later transferred to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, where she died a week later.

In February of last year, Puga was sentenced to 15 years in prison for second degree felony charges of Manslaughter, and Accident Involving Death (Hit & Run).

KBTX also reports that at the time of her death, Beatty was studying animal science with the hope of becoming a veterinarian.  In her memory, Beatty’s family started Carly’s Way, a non-profit dedicated to helping animals in need.