Man Sentenced In Fatal Shooting At Truck Stop In Hunterdon County

UNION, NJ - A Texas man was sentenced to 20 years in state prison after previously admitting to shooting and killing a man at a truck stop in Union Township in 2021, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Renée Robeson announced.

David L. Rodriguez, 47, of Alamo, Texas, pleaded guilty last year to one count of first-degree aggravated manslaughter in connection with the Jan. 23, 2021 shooting before Hunterdon County Superior Court Judge Angela Borkowski, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Rodriguez fired several shots at Ricardo Menezes De Castro, 43, of Deerfield Beach, Florida, during an argument at the Pilot Travel Center in Union Township, resulting in fatal injuries to the victim.

Borkowski handed down the sentence to Rodriguez on Wednesday. He must serve 85% of his sentence, or 17 years, before he is eligible for parole. He will be supervised on parole for five years after his release from prison.

“We again find ourselves mourning a life cut short at the hands of gun violence,” Robeson said. “This case is an unfortunate example of how a roadside dispute quickly escalated into a fatal encounter. As the Court acknowledged during sentencing today, anyone who possesses a firearm is tasked with appreciating the profound power and responsibility that comes with it, including exercising restraint in the face of confrontation. Mr. Rodriguez took the life of a hardworking and beloved man for which he will have to serve a lengthy sentence.”