BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn announced Thursday that a Buffalo man pleaded guilty to the following charges:
- One count of leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death
- One count of criminally negligent homicide
- One count of aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle
On Aug. 11, 2021, the defendant, 38-year-old Kevin J. Mendola, was operating a vehicle without a valid driver's license on Lovejoy Street in Sloan.
Mendola placed his car in reverse and ran over a child and his bicycle. He then put his car in drive and drove forward and over the child a second time.
Mendola then exited the vehicle, saw the child, and drove away from the scene without reporting the incident. He was located by police a short time later.
The victim, 10-year-old Michael "Mikey" Conklin, was taken to Oishei Children's Hospital where he later died from his injuries.
Mendola will face a maximum of 11 years in prison when he is sentenced as a second felony offender on May 4, 2023.
