A California man who left the scene of a crash which left a Westport woman dead on the side of Route 6 earlier this year has been sentenced to serve time in jail.

Nate Vieira, 59, pleaded guilty to the leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death on Dec. 12 in Fall River Superior Court. He was sentenced by Judge Mark Hallal to two-and-a-half years in the Bristol County House of Correction.   

Vieira was ordered to serve 20 months of the jail sentence, with the balance of the jail term suspended for three years.

Vieira is transgender, and goes by Nate or Marcos, according to the Bristol County District Attorney's Office. His legal name is Natalie.

On March 3, Vieira struck 33 year old Westport resident Stasha Faria from behind while she was walking east on State Rd. near the Moby Dick Motel at around 7 p.m. The crash propelled her into a utility pole. She suffered severe head and bodily injuries. Vieira did not stop.

Vieira was identified after police collected evidence at the scene which pointed to a  Chevrolet Uplander as being involved in the crash. After seeking the public’s help in locating the minivan, police found it at Mike’s Auto Body in Fall River, and confirmed the minivan had been towed from a home in Westport where Vieira was staying with a relative.

Initially, Vieira denied he was behind the wheel on the night of the crash, but eventually confessed, telling police he thought he hit a light pole and didn’t stop because he panicked.

Vieira was not texting, under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or speeding at the time of the hit and run.

Accident reconstruction determined that Vieira could not have avoided or prevented the accident due to the poor lighting at the scene, and because the victim crossed the road prematurely.

The case was prosecuted by Co-First Assistant District Attorney Karen O’Sullivan.

“This was a tragedy for the victim and her family. All the defendant had to do was stop, but instead [the defendant] took off and left victim in the street,” District Attorney Thomas Quinn said. “The police had to come find the defendant. There needs to be accountability.”