Family members of a man who died after he was pushed into a moving San Diego Trolley shared their loss on Sept. 14 as the killer apologized for his “cowardly” action as he described it.
The family of Martin Andara, 68, wept and also shared their anger at Ryan Michael Rukstelis, 27, who pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the Jan. 1, 2022, death of Andara.
Andara was on his way to the Ralphs store in Pacific Beach and was on the same San Diego Trolley as Rukstelis, but the two never interacted with each other, according to security videotapes. They were strangers to each other.
Rukstelis had a previous psychiatric disorder in which he was supposed to take medication, but went off his medicine before the incident occurred, according to attorneys in the case.
“You have to be medicated,” said San Diego Superior Court Judge Rachel Cano before sentencing him to 15 years to life in prison.
Security surveillance cameras showed that Rukstelis shoved Andara into a moving train at the Old Town Trolley Station around 6:15 a.m. Andara suffered a major head wound, lost a lot of blood, and died at the scene.
“Ryan murdered my father,” said Adam Andara angrily. “What you did created a deep scar on my family.
You will be locked up and we will forget about you.”
“You didn’t want to take your medication,” said Diana May Mieres, Andara’s daughter. “You know you’re dangerous if you don’t take it.”
“All the memories we had (are over) just because you didn’t take your medicine,” said Mieres, tearfully. “You hear the word trolley, and I think of my dad getting his head busted by you.”
“You have taken away someone,” said Jose M. Andara,” said the victim’s brother. “My brother had a bout of alcoholism for a little while. He straightened his life out.”
“I wish you a lotta luck. Hopefully, you find God,” said Jose Andara.
“My uncle was a very proud man…a peaceful man…a very hard-working man,” said his nephew, Gil Lopez. “I have my own pain, my anger and rage over this. I do hope and pray whatever clarity (comes to you).”
Andara’s granddaughter was present but she wanted Deputy District Attorney Scott Pirrello to read her comments, which he did. “I think of him every day,” she wrote.
Rukstelis’s attorney, Denis Lainez, told the judge his client wanted to make a brief statement.
Rukstelis, wearing jail clothing behind a glass jail cubicle in the courtroom, said this: “I apologize for what I did. I agree it was cowardly.”
Reno ordered him to pay $3,556.68 in funeral expenses and fined him $370. He was given credit for serving 619 days in jail.
Rukstelis’ mother sat in the second row in the audience. San Diego Police arrested Rukstelis near her home on Jan. 4, 2022.
Rukstelis’ fingerprints were found on Andara’s jacket and DNA evidence also linked him to the attack, according to testimony from the preliminary hearing.
