VILLAGE OF SLOAN, N.Y. (WKBW) — A 37-year-old Buffalo man has been indicted in a crash that killed a 10-year-old boy in Sloan.
Kevin Mendola was arraigned Thursday on felony and misdemeanor charges, including leaving the scene of an incident resulting in death, criminally negligent homicide and aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle.
EDITOR'S NOTE: 7 Eyewitness News has chosen to use Mendola's mugshot in accordance with our station mugshot policy, as the crime he is accused of committing is sufficiently newsworthy that his image is of more significance to our viewers. You can read our full mugshot policy here.
The Erie County District Attorney's office said in a release that Mendola was driving down Lovejoy Street near Griffith Park without a valid driver's license on August 11 when he put his vehicle into reverse and hit 10-year-old Michael "Mikey" Conklin.
Conklin was standing next to his bicycle at the time.
Prosecutors say after initially hitting Conklin, Mendola then ran over the boy a second time, fatally injuring him.
Mendola is accused of leaving the scene without reporting the incident but was located shortly afterward by police.
Conklin was rushed to Oishei Children's Hospital where he died of his injuries.
Mendola is now being held without bail and is due back in court on October 29 at 9:30 a.m.
If he is convicted, Mendola could spend up to seven years in prison.
