On June 13, 2001, while driving a vehicle owned by Italian actor Marco Leonardi (her "From Dusk Till Dawn 3" co-star), Gayheart struck nine-year-old Jorge Cruz, Jr. as he walked across a street in Los Angeles. Cruz died the following day from his injuries. Gayheart paid the family $10,000 for Cruz's funeral expenses and was given permission by the family to attend the service, but ultimately chose not to. On August 7, 2001, Gayheart made her only public statement on the incident, in which she said: "The pain of this tragedy will live with me forever. Despite the allegations in the lawsuit, the facts will establish that this was a most unfortunate accident." On November 27, 2001, Gayheart pleaded no contest to vehicular manslaughter. She was sentenced to three years of probation, a one-year suspension of her license, a $2,800 fine, and 750 hours of community service. The parents of the boy filed a wrongful death lawsuit, which was eventually settled out of court.