Oregon Horror: Portland Emergency doctor sentenced in fatal hit-and-run death of Woodburn man; what we know so far

Oregon Accident News: An Oregon emergency room doctor has been sentenced to more than a year in prison after authorities said he fatally struck a pedestrian and fled the scene of the crash. The victim was identified as Nicolas Hernandez-Mendoza. He succumbed to his injuries during surgery after the collision, which occurred on December 26, 2024, in Woodburn, according to a statement from the Marion County District Attorney's Office.

Authorities said that the accused, identified as Kenneth Kolarsky, 59, was arrested on May 17, 2025, and pleaded guilty in May 2026 to attempted failure to perform the duties of a driver to an injured person in connection with the fatal crash, according to the Marion County District Attorney’s Office.

Kolarsky was sentenced to 13 months in prison

Kolarsky has been sentenced to 13 months in prison and 36 months of post-prison supervision. “On the evening of December 26, 2024, Nicolas Hernandez-Mendoza was struck by a vehicle as he crossed North Pacific Highway near Williams Avenue in Woodburn, Oregon. Hernandez-Mendoza had activated the crosswalk safety lights as he began crossing the street and was hit by a vehicle operated by the defendant, Kolarsky,” the attorney's office said in its release.

"Upon striking Hernandez-Mendoza, the defendant stopped the vehicle, drove around his unconscious body in the roadway, and then fled the scene," the statement reads. Hernandez-Mendoza was still alive as Kolarsky drove away.

What did the probe reveal?

The investigation revealed about “20 minutes after striking the decedent. He was on his way to work at Silverton Hospital from his residence in the Portland area on the night of the incident. On May 17, 2025, after a considerable investigation, the defendant was arrested by Woodburn police officers."

According to the statement, prosecutors said that Kolarsky was “on his way to work at Silverton Hospital from his residence in the Portland area on the night of the incident.”

Hernandez-Mendoza’s daughter reacts to father’s death

“This is someone we’re supposed to trust and sometimes put our lives in his hands, and in that moment, I think he had my dad’s life in his hands but he just made the wrong choice," Kimberly Hernandez, the victim's daughter, told KPTV. "I could have my father right now."

How was Kolarsky caught?

Woodburn Police detectives requested and reviewed footage from dozens of nearby businesses and residences to establish the license plate number, make, and model of the defendant’s vehicle.

After further investigation and review of surveillance video, Kolarsky, who was an emergency room physician, can be seen entering his place of employment approximately 20 minutes after striking the decedent. He was on his way to work at Silverton Hospital from his residence in the Portland area on the night of the incident.