A man from Florida has been sentenced to several decades in prison after a tragic incident where he left his infant son in an intersection and subsequently ran him over with his truck.

Justin Golden, 21, admitted guilt to charges of vehicular homicide and aggravated manslaughter in September. This came months after the heart-wrenching event where he placed his 8-month-old son, Pablo, in the road and accidentally drove over him with his GMC truck. On Friday, a judge handed down a 30-year prison sentence, stating, “I have seen people exercise more care, caution, and concern for a squirrel that darts into the roadway, a lizard that is on the hood of their car.”

In court, Golden expressed his remorse through a statement, accepting full responsibility for the devastating act. He said, “While I did not intend to kill my son, and had no criminal intent, I know that is not enough. I failed as his protector, as his father, and I was the monster who killed him.”

According to previous reports from Law&Crime, on the morning of January 25, Golden and Pablo’s mother were heading to a Walmart in Jacksonville, Florida, with the infant. The couple began arguing over “baby wipes and money” while in Golden’s truck, halting at an intersection, as noted in an arrest affidavit.

Frustrated by the argument, Pablo’s mother exited the vehicle. In a shocking response, Golden expressed that he “did not want to be responsible for the child” and placed Pablo on the road in the intersection. He then returned to the driver’s seat, shut the door, and drove away, tragically running over his son.

Several people witnessed the horrific incident from the beginning of the couple’s fight. One woman saw Golden remove something from his truck and put it on the ground, believing it was a “bag of trash.” She realized it was a child when “she saw it move” after Golden drove over it.

Pablo’s mother began screaming upon realizing what had happened to her baby. Police tracked down Golden not long after he drove away, and he was quickly arrested. Paramedics rushed Pablo to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Golden’s defense attorney argued for a lenient sentence, and family members appeared in court on his behalf. Prosecutors argued that Golden knew he was placing his baby son in harm’s way. The judge agreed with the prosecution and issued the maximum sentence.