A man charged with hitting and killing a teenager with his vehicle in Butler Township has pleaded guilty.
On Oct. 20, 2023, 15-year-old Aiden Lutz was riding an e-bike on Ducthtown Road when he was struck, leaving him in critical condition. He later died in the hospital.
Police arrested the suspect, Joshua Rivera, days later.
Thursday, Rivera pleaded guilty to accident involving death, accident involving death while not properly licensed and homicide by vehicle.
Altogether, he could face between 10 and 24 years in prison. A judge will sentence him Monday at 9 a.m.
Lutz’s family told us they have no comment.
Channel 11’s Andrew Havranek covers Butler County. He shares the breaking details on Rivera’s plea, coming up on Channel 11 News at 4, 5, and 6.
According to court documents, witnesses heard Rivera yell “I’m sorry” several times before leaving the crash scene.
Several delays disrupted legal proceedings, including repeated judge recusals and debate over whether the Butler County District Attorney’s Office could prosecute the case.
In August, Rivera’s lawyers argued that charges should be dropped, citing Pennsylvania’s Rule 600, which guarantees a defendant’s right to a speedy trial.
At one point, every judge in Butler County recused themselves from the case, requiring a Mercer County judge to step in.
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