Gabriel Hernandez Mendez leaves the Luzerne County Courthouse after being sentenced for vehicular homicide on Tuesday.
                                 Ed Lewis | Times Leader

Gabriel Hernandez Mendez leaves the Luzerne County Courthouse after being sentenced for vehicular homicide on Tuesday.

Ed Lewis | Times Leader

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<p>Hernandez Mendez</p>

Hernandez Mendez

WILKES-BARRE — A Hazleton man could have faced three years in state prison for fleeing the scene after striking a 15-year-old boy who died but instead was sentenced Tuesday to one-to-two years at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility.

Relatives of the youth, Hector Padilla, questioned whether defendant Gabriel Hernandez Mendez received a lenient sentence because he is the father of former Hazleton Mayor Lou Barletta’s grandson. Barletta, also a former U.S. Congressman, is now running for governor.

Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce dispelled the suggestion as untrue.

Hernandez Mendez, 38, of Lahm Avenue, was charged by Hazleton police following an investigation into the hit-and-run crash on South Poplar Street on June 12, 2021.

Police alleged Hernandez Mendez was operating a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado when he struck Hector Padilla while the teenager was riding bicycles with a friend.

Padilla suffered serious injuries to his arm and head. He was transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital – Cedar Crest where he was removed from life support and died June 18, 2021. An autopsy revealed Padilla died from blunt force trauma to the head, according to the Lehigh Valley Coroner’s Office.

Under the terms of a plea agreement reached March 7, Hernandez Mendez pleaded guilty to homicide by vehicle while prosecutors withdrew the most serious charge, accidents involving death, which carries a mandatory sentence of three years in state prison.

Padilla’s family was critical of the plea agreement.

Katie Ovalles, an aunt to the teenager, claimed relatives were informed Tuesday about the length of prison sentence Hernandez Mendez would receive.

“One year to two years for a child’s life? For somebody who was driving careless, I don’t think that is fair,” Ovalles said.

President Judge Michael T. Vough, who accepted the plea agreement, questioned why the most serious charge was withdrawn.

Assistant District Attorney Daniel Mantush said there were circumstances involved in the investigation.

Sanguedolce later explained Hernandez Mendez surrendered 45 days after Padilla was struck by the truck.

Sanguedolce referred to the criminal complaint, stating Hernandez Mendez admitted: “I hit the kid on the bike,” before invoking his right to remain silent and requesting a lawyer.

Investigators never recovered the Chevrolet Silverado, and without any direct evidence linking Hernandez Mendez to being the driver at the time Padilla was struck, Sanguedolce said it would have been difficult to proceed to trial.

Hernandez Mendez made the statement prior to being read his Miranda rights, which would likely have been challenged in court, prosecutors explained.

Padilla’s father, Pedro Padilla, suggested the family connection to Barletta led to to the lenient sentence, which Sanguedolce said was not true.

According to our news partners at FOX 56, a Barletta campaign spokesperson told the TV station that Barletta only learned that a private investigator believed Hernandez Mendez was a potential suspect less than 24 hours before he turned himself in to authorities.

For the dead teen’s family, the plea agreement only compounded their sense of loss.

“We weren’t told about any type of plea agreement,” Pedro Padilla said. “I can’t express the loss every day. He was my only son and he (Hernandez Mendez) took my son away from me.

“We can’t get our son back. All we have is justice. I’m very upset how poorly my son’s life was to the prosecution,” Pedro Padilla added. “We suffer every day. We lost our only son.”

Hernandez Mendez offered an apology in court.

“I’m very sorry. I can’t even imagine the pain you are all going through. For the rest of my life, I will pray for you. I’m so sorry, I don’t know what to say. I hope one day you will forgive me. As a father, I’m so sorry for what happened,” Hernandez Mendez said before Vough imposed the sentence of one-to-two years at the county correctional facility.

“I’m here to give out justice but in this case, there is no justice,” Vough said.

Hernandez Mendez was awarded immediate work release, meaning he will be permitted to leave the county correctional facility for his employment and report back at night to serve his sentence.

Reach Ed Lewis at 570-991-6116 or on Twitter @TLEdLewis