Ruiz cried during some of the hearing, and her voice cracked as she addressed the court. "I've had to live with a nightmare," she said. "It's been very, very terrible for me for a long time, and all I have to say is I'm sorry."
Ruiz last month pleaded no contest to three counts of vehicular homicide and six counts of great bodily injury by vehicle. She could have faced up to 36 years in prison, but a plea agreement stipulated that she would serve no more than six years. Although Vigil imposed the full six-year sentence, he suspended three years.
Surviving family members said in court that they didn't think Ruiz killed their loved ones on purpose.
Viviana Terrazas, 20, a Concentra receptionist, and Janell Lockhart Rodriguez, 43, and her son, David Rodriguez, 17, who were waiting for the teenager to get a physical examination, died. Six others besides Ruiz were injured.