Man Pleads Not Guilty to Manslaughter, Drunk Driving

A Los Angeles man pleaded not guilty Thursday to felony manslaughter and drunk-driving charges for allegedly driving his car into a woman and six children on a sidewalk, killing a 7-year-old boy, authorities said.

Ricardo Martinez was charged with one count each of vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, hit-and-run, drunk driving and driving with a blood-alcohol content of .08 or more. Bail was set at $20,000, court officials said.

California Highway Patrol investigators had said they originally hoped to seek a murder charge against the driver, who also uses the name Jorge Louis Martinez, 21. CHP Officer Rich Richards said the investigation was continuing and additional charges may be filed.

Pedro Hernandez, 7, was killed and his mother, Petra Hernandez, 33, and five other children were injured when they were struck by a car while walking along East 65th Street in the unincorporated Florence area Tuesday.

On Thursday, numerous callers sought to donate money to the Hernandez family after a report was published that the boy’s father told a nun he feared that Pedro would be cremated because they were too poor to pay for a funeral.

Officials at Miramonte Elementary School, where Pedro was a second-grader, decided Thursday to establish a fund for the Hernandez family. So far, Assistant Principal Michael Repp said, they have received more than a dozen calls from people pledging money.

Repp said anyone interested in contributing to the fund should make a check payable to the Miramonte Student Body Fund and mail it to the school at 1400 E. 68th St., Los Angeles, 90001. People seeking more information can contact the school at (213) 583-1257.

John Moeller of Norwalk said he called The Times seeking to contribute money to the family because he had just lost people who were “very dear to me. . . . Funerals are very important for the living. You want your children in a nice place.”

Petra Hernandez said Thursday that she was “very grateful” for the offers of support.

Rosary for the boy will be recited at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Presentation Catholic Church in the Florence area. Funeral Mass at the church will be at 9 a.m. Thursday, with burial at Resurrection Cemetery in South San Gabriel.