Arguing women hit, killed by passing car

BRANDON (FOX 13) - An argument among three Hillsborough County women turned deadly Sunday when their dispute spilled out into a road in Brandon and they were all hit by a car, killing two of them.

Hillsborough County deputies said three adults -- Tanaysha Troutman, Victoria Patten and Stephanie Jordan -- stopped their vehicles at 10:30 p.m. in the median turn lane of Providence Road, just south of Providence Lakes Boulevard. They were standing outside their vehicles and arguing.

"They were in two separate vehicles. The argument ensued into the street and unfortunately all three of them got hit by a vehicle," said Detective Larry McKinnon, a spokesperson for the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

All three had walked into the southbound median travel lane of Providence Road and were struck by a vehicle traveling south at 40 mph.

Troutman, 28, and Patten, 33, died at the scene. Jordan was transported to Tampa General Hospital with non-life threatening injuries. 

McKinnon said unfortunately this crash was preventable.

"When you don't let it go, often times they turn out to be tragic," he told FOX 13.

The driver, Guillermo Ruiz, stayed at the scene. Deputies said he had an odor of alcohol on his breath and admitted to drinking beer earlier in the evening.  
 
He submitted a blood draw and charges are pending as deputies wait on a toxicology report, which could take up to six weeks.

"He wasn't exhibiting any physical signs of impairment but because of the fact that he had alcohol on his breath, they went ahead and did a blood test on him," McKinnon said. "Even though he could be found completely not at fault as far as the accident goes, he could still be found at fault as far as a DUI manslaughter."

FOX 13 went to Ruiz's house, but a man who answered the door declined to comment on the accident.