Perez Sentenced To Five Years In Prison For Vazquez Fatal Hit-and-Run

Luis Omar Pérez

Pérez guilty plea brings lighter sentence in Vazquez Jr. fatal hit-and-run.

By H. Nelson Goodson

December 19, 2012

Milwaukee, WI - On Wednesday, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Wagner sentenced Luis Omar Pérez, 32, to five years in prison and four years supervision after pleading guilty for the death of Gilbert L. Vazquez Jr., 25, on May 31. Laura Manriquez, Gilbert's mother was requesting for Judge Wagner to give Pérez the maximum sentencr. But since Pérez pleaded guilty, Judge Wagner gave him five years. 

Pérez told the judge that he was sorry about Vazquez' death, but that he was scared at the time and left the scene. Pérez did not have a valid driver's license when the hit-and-run occurred.

Pérez was convicted for one felony count of hit-and-run involving death for the May 26 injuries sustained by Vazquez Jr., who later died on May 31 from the injuries. Pérez was facing up to 25 years in prison. 

Vazquez Jr. was walking near the 1600 block of W. Mitchell Street when Pérez crashed into him and then fled the scene.

The criminal complaint states, Pérez told his girlfriend that Vazquez Jr. had stepped in front of his moving vehicle and he couldn't avoid hitting him. Pérez got scared, didn't stop and fled.

He later heard on the news that Vazquez Jr. had died in a hospital. Police had wanted to talk with him and asked him to come in. Pérez then decided to confess about the hit-and-run incident to police.