Arrest made in hit-and-run death of 15-year-old Jacksonville boy

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Florida Highway Patrol arrested a man they said is responsible for a hit and run that killed a 15-year-old Jacksonville boy Oct. 13 on Interstate 95 near Butler Boulevard.

Gerlin Adali Garcia Mendez was arrested in Orlando and now faces multiple felony and criminal charges, according to an FHP post on X.

The 15 year old was driving a black Toyota Tacoma northbound on I-95 in the outside travel lane when a white Honda Civic hit the rear of the Tacoma causing it to rollover, an FHP news release states. A 16-year-old passenger in the car was not injured. The 15-year-old driver was taken to Wolfson’s Hospital where he died.

FHP says Mendez was the driver of the Honda and he ran away from the crash scene on foot.

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