Woodville Man Sentenced to 15 Years in 2023 Fatal Hit-and-Run

This 2021 booking photo of Johnny Jacobo-Ramon, released by the Hardin County Sheriff’s Office, is from a prior arrest and not from his recent sentencing.

A Woodville man was sentenced to 15 years in prison Tuesday morning in a Jefferson County courtroom after pleading guilty to a 2023 hit-and-run that left a Beaumont pedestrian dead.

Johnny Manuel Jacobo-Ramon, 34, appeared before Judge Raquel West in 252nd District Court, where he received the maximum sentence allowed under a plea agreement for the second-degree felony offense of Accident Involving Death. As part of the plea deal, a separate Intoxication Manslaughter charge was dismissed.

The case stems from a July 16, 2023 incident in which Herbert Wilson Jr., 58, was walking in the outside westbound lane of the 3700 block of College Street when he was struck by a vehicle and killed. According to witnesses, a black Dodge Journey was seen weaving through traffic, quickly changing lanes to pass a white Chrysler before returning to the right lane where it struck Wilson. The vehicle did not stop.

Not long after the crash, Hardin County Sheriff’s deputies and Kountze Police stopped Jacobo-Ramon driving a 2009 black Dodge Journey with heavy front-end damage to the grille, hood, and windshield—damage consistent with striking a pedestrian. Officers reported visible signs of intoxication, and Jacobo-Ramon was arrested and taken to the Hardin County Jail.

Inside the Courtroom: Testimony, Excuses, and a Judge’s Rebuke

Tuesday’s sentencing hearing offered a full glimpse into the tragic and complex case. A Spanish interpreter was present to assist Jacobo-Ramon throughout the proceeding.

Defense attorney Thomas J. Burbank acknowledged the tragedy and did not dispute the facts. He described the collision as “a tragic accident,” emphasizing that it occurred at night and that other vehicles had swerved in the same area shortly before the impact. Burbank confirmed that he had no objections to the pre-sentencing report, which all parties had reviewed.

When given the opportunity to speak, Jacobo-Ramon told the court that he believed he had hit a deer, not a person.

But Prosecutor Phillip C. Smith Jr. directly challenged that claim, telling the court that Jacobo-Ramon was intoxicated at the time, and that he had later told another inmate at the Hardin County Jail that he knew he hit someone but didn’t stop to help.

Smith further explained that investigators followed up on Jacobo-Ramon’s story by searching a significant distance behind the crash site in an attempt to find evidence of a deer—but found no signs of any animal, dead or alive. This, Smith said, was further proof that Jacobo-Ramon was not telling the truth and had knowingly fled the scene.

Judge West addressed Jacobo-Ramon directly before issuing her ruling.

“You are here illegally and have now killed someone,” she said, her tone firm and unwavering. She reminded the courtroom that Jacobo-Ramon had previously been held in jail for an extended period after his arrest, but was released due to custodial time limits—only to fail to appear for a required court appearance.

She then confirmed that Jacobo-Ramon’s guilty plea had been entered freely and voluntarily, and formally imposed the maximum 15-year sentence in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as outlined in the plea agreement.

“If you are ever back in Texas legally,” Judge West warned, “you will not be able to possess a firearm or ammunition. That could lead to more charges against you.”

Jacobo-Ramon signed a trial court certification waiving his right to appeal. He was also issued a written admonishment—in Spanish—informing him that he is permanently barred from possessing firearms or ammunition, and that returning to Texas and violating that order could result in additional charges. Jacobo-Ramon will receive credit for time served.