Northampton County District Attorney Stephen G. Baratta has announced that April 27, 2026, Leroy Mendez of Bethlehem was found guilty of 12 charges in a 2025 DUI-related hit-and-run.

On July 19 f that year, at approximately 1:32 a.m., Bethlehem police, fire department and EMS responded to the area of East Fourth Street for a report of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle, which then fled the scene. The victim, 24-year-old Erykah Ramos, was thrown into the air by the impact and landed on the street, where first responders administered immediate treatment for life-threatening injuries. She was subsequently transported to the nearest hospital for treatment of numerous serious injuries, including a traumatic brain injury, and will require extensive, lifelong medical care.

During the investigation, police obtained city surveillance footage from the surrounding area, which captured the vehicle striking the victim and colliding with a parked vehicle, and fleeing the scene. The vehicle was determined to be registered to Mendez. Officers located the vehicle at Mendez’s residence and observed visible damage. Officers made contact with Mendez at his residence and learned that he had filed an insurance claim earlier that morning, stating another vehicle had sideswiped his car.

While speaking to Mendez, officers observed signs of impairment and administered field sobriety tests. Mendez was subsequently transported for a blood draw, which revealed a blood alcohol concentration of 0.126 percent, but was determined to be between 0.17 percent to 0.27 percent at the time of the incident. Further surveillance footage obtained by police showed Mendez committing numerous traffic violations while driving aimlessly and in a reckless manner in the period leading up to the incident.

Mendez was found guilty of aggravated assault, aggravated assault by vehicle while DUI, accidents involving death or personal injury, insurance fraud, DUI, and DUI-related offenses following a nonjury trial before the Honorable Judge Paula A. Roscioli. The most serious charge of aggravated assault carries a maximum of 20 years in state prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 15. The case was investigated by Detective Andrew Yost of the Bethlehem City Police Department and prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Debra Naish and Assistant District Attorney Stephanie Kocher.

All further inquiries should be directed to the Northampton County Office of the District Attorney.