A man who fled the scene of a fatal hit-and-run crash in 2013 in Rutherford County faced the courts this week for trial.

On Wednesday (8/10/16), 38 year old Ruben Pena was convicted by a jury on charges of vehicular homicide by reckless endangerment, three counts of aggravated assault, and one count of leaving the scene of a fatal crash. Pena will be sentenced on September 29, 2016.

Looking back to the 2013 accident, Pena spent five months on the run after fleeing the scene of the deadly crash that occurred on Interstate 24. In the wreck, Pena was traveling west in the eastbound lanes of I 24 when he struck another vehicle nearly head on. The impact killed passenger Cynthia Joyner, age 31, of Chattanooga, Tenn., and injured three others in that vehicle.

More about the Victim in the Fatal Accident:

The victim in the hit and run accident was known to be a leader in her community with several autism groups. She was often seen at the Chattanooga Autism Center where she worked with and mentored parents of autistic children.

Read details about the victim Cynthia Joyner HERE

Pictured Below: Cynthia Joyner