WIXOM, Mich. – The man who pleaded guilty to killing a 14-year-old boy riding a bicycle in Wixom in June will spend at least five years in prison.
Miguel A. Ibarra Cerda, 21, was charged with reckless driving causing death and failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault resulting in death. He was bound over to stand trial at Oakland County Circuit Court but pleaded guilty as charged during a pretrial hearing. He could have faced up to 15 years in prison but Judge Cheryl Matthews decided five to 15 years was enough.
Watch the full sentencing hearing here:
Cerda is accused of fatally striking Justin Lee, who was riding a bicycle June 11 on Potter Road, with a minivan and driving away. Police said Cerda ditched the minivan in Commerce Township and fled.
Officials said he was trying to flee to Mexico, but he was arrested in Lansing.
An attorney representing Cerda said he came to the United States to work and send money back to his family in Mexico. Cerda was sending money back to Mexico to help his family pay for medical expenses for two of his siblings.
Judge Matthews said she took Cerda's age and lack of a criminal past into consideration when deciding his sentence.
Victim's mother speaks at sentencing
Patricia Warner Lee offered an emotional statement in court ahead of Cerda's sentencing, explaining her son was an athlete with several groups of friends. She described him as a warmhearted teenager who was working to apply himself better at school. She said she is struggling to watch his friends deal with the loss.
"Justin was their go-to person. He was the person that they trusted," she said. "He was always the one to give you a hug or a high five. He had the most beautiful smile. Just a smile from my son could make someone's day turn around. We're just all very sad that the kids are lost ... without Justin in those circles they're all broken, there are big holes."
Warner Lee told a story about how Justin stood up for a younger boy on the school bus one day. She said that boy came to her home in tears after learning of Justin's death. The boy called Justin his hero.
"A precious, and kind and loving and caring person was taken away from us," she said.
She asked the judge for a harsher punishment for Cerda, who she said should have never been in the country in the first place. However, said she understood he could not receive any more than 15 years under the law. The mother addressed Cerda, telling him she hopes he can find God and peace because he is in the prime of his life. She said she wishes he didn't make such poor decisions that day in June, but she is thankful he finally admitted to his wrongdoing. She said she wishes he would have stopped and stayed with Justin, who was dying in a ditch.
Cerda was bawling after listening to Lee's mother deliver her victim impact statement. He offered his own statement of remorse in Spanish as a translator repeated his statement in English. He said he just wants a son to be back with his parents and all he thinks about day and night is that he is the one who has caused so much pain. He said he was scared and didn't know what to do when the accident happened, that's why he fled.
Community holds vigil for victim
The community gathered June 13 to remember Lee at a vigil.
Related: Walled Lake Western High School releases statement on 14-year-old boy killed while riding bicycle
He was a ninth-grade student and football player at Walled Lake Western High School.
Family, friends, coaches and teammates shared stories about Justin during a vigil at the school's football stadium. The teen was killed just days before he was set to finish his freshman year of high school.
Mother speaks after son's death
Justin's mother spoke to Local 4 after the driver suspected of hitting him was arrested.
"You can't just hit someone and kill them and drive away like nothing happened," Pattie Lee said.
The roadside memorial for Justin continued to grow at the spot where he was killed on Potter Road.
Lee said the intersection is one she'll avoid for awhile. She said the pain of losing her son so close to their home is unbearable, but she's glad Cerda is behind bars.
"This is forever," Lee said. "He's never coming back. I'm never going to see my son again, and I don't know how I'm going to live through that.
"The last time I saw him he gave me a big hug and I rested my head on his shoulders. He kissed the top of my head."
Police said Cerda was speeding down Potter Road near Black Locust Drive when he hit Justin.
"I don't think it was intentional," Lee said. "I think it was an accident."
Investigators said Cerda left Justin to die on the road, ditching his minivan in Commerce Township. The hunt for Cerda ended when he was taken into custody in Lansing.
"I said, 'Good work,'" Lee said. "The first word to come to mind was justice for Justin."
Lee said she's relieved police caught Cerda, but it doesn't ease the void in her heart.
"My child is gone and him going to jail won't bring my son back," Lee said.
Now, members of the community are remembering Lee, who dreamed of playing football for the University of Michigan.
"A lot of people loved him, and I'll do my best to honor his memory," Lee said. "There will never be another Justin."
Lee believes part of honoring her son's memory is making sure others learn from the crash. Police said speed was a contributing factor.
"It's a wake-up call," Lee said. "You have to pay attention."