Former Fresno State graduate teaching assistant Lisa Ellen Spoors has been sentenced to five years in prison for a fatal hit-and-run that killed Hoover High School student Rashad Al-Hakim Jr. in October 2022.

Spoors was initially charged with murder, hit-and-run resulting in bodily injury or death, and driving under the influence of drug while causing injury.

Spoors, who uses they/them pronouns, initially pleaded not guilty to all the charges. However, it was challenging for prosecutors to prove that Spoors was legitimately under the influence at the time of the incident.

Spoors took a plea deal in February, pleading nolo contendere (no contest) to charges of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated without gross negligence and hit-and-run, resulting in permanent injury or death.

The plea included prosecutors dropping the murder and driving under the influence of drug charges.

With the plea deal, which was executed today, April 10, by Fresno County judge Gabriel Brickey, Spoors faced a maximum of five years in prison.