On February 21, 2024, shortly after 5 p.m. a Freeman ambulance and the Noel Fire Department were dispatched to Highway 90 on a report of a medical problem.
A man was slumped over the steering wheel of his car and the doors were locked.,
When the man was rescued from the car, Noel City Marshal Travis Sheppard recognized the tell-tale smell of alcohol.
On January 1, 2023, Mendez-Hernandez pleaded guilty in Noel Municipal Court to DWI and on October 30, 2023, Circuit Court Judge John LePage accepted Mendez-Hernandez' guilty plea on a second DWI and sentenced him to 90 days in a jail, then suspended his sentence, placed him on supervised probation and fined him $500.
For the third time in less than two years, Mendez-Hernandez had been charged with driving while intoxicated and once again it was Judge LePage he stood before when he entered his guilty plea January 7, 2025.
For this third DWI in two years, LePage sentenced him to four years in prison, then suspended the sentence and placed him on supervised probation for five years.
Then LePage really got tough.
He ordered Mendez-Hernandez to perform 240 hours of community service.
A probation violation was reported June 25. Online McDonald County Circuit Court records don't show any hearing being held on that violation.
McDonald County Prosecuting Attorney Maleia Cheney filed a motion to revoke Mendez-Hernandez' probation today.
Only it most likely wasn't for the June 25 violation.
Gale Lynn Wade, Joplin, the driver of the vehicle Mendez-Hernandez hit, according to the probable cause statement, died. Wade's wife, Glenda Ruth Wade, was left in critical condition and the driver of a third vehicle that was involved in the accident, suffered minor injuries.
Mendez-Hernandez jumped out of his car and fled the scene, the probable statement said.
From the statement:
Upon contact, officers observed multiple indicators of impairment. Officers noted that the defendant had bloodshot, watery eyes, slurred speech, and an inability to stand without assistance. Officers also detected a strong odor of intoxicants emanating from the defendant.Further investigation revealed that the defendant’s driving privileges were revoked. The defendant has seven (7) active revocations beginning in 2023. Additionally, the vehicle was uninsured, and the temporary registration on the Dodge Ram had expired for more than 30 days.
Records further indicate that the defendant was placed on probation following a DWI (Persistent) conviction in January 2025.
https://rturner229.blogspot.com/2025/10/joplin-man-killed-wife-in-critical.html
10 comments:
Judge John LePage and the two McDonald County prosecutors responsible for bs plea deals, most recently Ms. Cheney, were in that Dodge pickup with the killer that plowed into Gale Wade's car on Tuesday. They were there in spirit because none of these people give a damn about drunk or impaired driving. It's treated like a jaywalking offense around here, especially in Mac County. So, these prosecutors and all the judges involved--and the defense attorney(s) who made these backroom deals that kept this piece of human excrement out of jail numerous times--have Gale Wade's blood on their hands. And as Gale's friend, I am madder than hell and will never forgive them--and never forget what they made possible. I only wish this forum allowed me to say what I really want to say.
Glenda’s last name is Wade, not White
Case.net shows 28 traffic charges for a Mark Anthony Mendez-Hernandez.
THATS TWENTY EIGHT!
That's a little over on a year, but the first charge showing on Case.net wasn't until 2019.
One has to wonder how many charges he really had.
Why has he been able to get 7 DWIs he should have been punished on1
We are too soft on Criminals. We need to feel sorry for the Victims not the Criminals. Our worthless Judges, Prosecuting Attorneys and even Jurors that allow Criminals back on the Streets to further cause Society Issues - need to be held accountable for their actions. Slaps on the wrists and backroom buddy deals among the Prosecuting Attorneys and the Defendants Attorneys and Judges - have to STOP -
Our court systems are too liberal and fail to follow the letter of the law. Yet as you see in this country people feel that the laws don't need to be followed.
Illegal Aliens have been let into our country by the millions - but that is ok - and know when we are trying to legally deport them people are throwing fits - some states are even giving them driver's licenses -
Yet, right down in McDonald County - what happened to Gloria Trejo, 53, who allegedly struck and killed Michael Lynn Pruden, 59, a retired Veteran of the Marines, on November 2, 2024. All Charges have been dropped and not re-filled - WHY!!! Again, Stop being Soft on Criminals - Feel Sorry for the Victims.
Hopefully Jasper County will take a more aggressive approach with the perpetrator. I hear that the perpetrator is already playing the legal system. I strongly urge whatever Judge he faces to decide that the time for leniency is long past.
Thanks for catching that. It has been corrected.
I’m so sorry this happened
It happens in Massachusetts too
I see drunk driving offenders is driving their fourth or fifth or sixth time.
Praying they may never kill someone.
I’m send Prayers and healing ❤️🩹 Love to your friend.
252, The PPPP being the PPPP. What else is there to say?
The Judge should be harged as well he made very poor decision. Bad judgements he is just as responsible for the deaths of those people as Mark is. He should have required to put one of those alchol detectors on his car. They can keep each other company in prison.
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