Ohio man pleads guilty to fleeing accident that killed boy

CLEVELAND (AP) — A northeast Ohio man has admitted to driving off after fatally striking a 5-year-old boy who was on his way to school.

Jerome Lee, 25, is accused of hitting 5-year-old pedestrian Israel Thornton in a Cleveland intersection in October 2013. Prosecutors say Lee fled in his SUV after the accident.

Israel was taken to a hospital, where he later died.

Police were originally unable to identify a suspect. Authorities investigated the crash for months before Lee was indicted in August.

Lee pleaded guilty Wednesday to failure to stop after an accident after prosecutors agreed to dismiss an aggravated vehicular homicide charge. He originally pleaded not guilty.

Lee is expected to serve one year in prison under the plea agreement.