A Bethlehem man was found guilty Monday of causing a drunken driving crash that seriously injured a woman last summer in the city.
Leroy Mendez, 38, was found guilty on 12 charges, including aggravated assault while DUI, in the July 15 hit-and-run crash that caused “severe and life-threatening” injuries on the city’s South Side, Northampton County District Attorney Stephen Baratta said Tuesday.
Mendez’s vehicle hit a woman who was standing near a parked vehicle about 1:30 a.m. on East Fourth Street, the DA said. The woman, 24, was thrown in the air and landed on the street.
Baratta said she suffered numerous injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, and will need extensive, lifelong medical care.
Surveillance footage showed Mendez’s vehicle hit the woman, then hit a parked vehicle before fleeing. Officers found the vehicle later that morning and saw it was damaged. They spoke to Mendez and found out that he filed an insurance claim that morning, claiming that a vehicle sideswiped his car, authorities said. While speaking to officers, Mendez showed obvious signs of impairment, the DA said.
A blood draw showed he had a blood-alcohol concentration of .126% hours after the crash, and that he likely had a BAC of between .17% and .27%, more than double the legal driving limit of .08%. He told authorities he was drinking at area bars that night to celebrate his birthday.
Judge Paula Roscioli found Mendez guilty of all charges during a bench trial. Mendez remains in Northampton County Jail under $250,000 bail.
He will be sentenced July 15.