An Indianapolis man signed a plea Friday for hitting and killing a 16-year-old teen in Gary.

Ronnie Merrill, 34, formerly of Gary, pleaded guilty Friday to leaving the scene of an accident, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, both Level 5 felonies.

Jayden Stewart, 16, died of multiple blunt force injuries.

The plea deal calls for a split sentence — 2 1/2 years in Lake County Community Corrections, such as a work release or day reporting program, and 2.5 years on probation.

His sentencing hearing is set on Sept. 21.

His lawyer John Cantrell is asking to transfer his post-conviction monitoring to Marion County.

Merrill momentarily disputed that he looked at the teen and left. Cantrell clarified while briefly questioning his client, that Merrill felt threatened by a gathering crowd.

He admitted he didn’t call the police, the lawyer said.

Merrill hit Stewart while driving his truck around 8 p.m. April 13, 2017 near the 1500 block of Martin Luther King Drive in Gary, per court documents.

Paramedics found Stewart lying in the street with a bike on the 2800 block of E. 15th Avenue.

A witness told police she saw a man in the truck hit the boy, get out, look at him, then make a U-turn on East 15th Avenue.

The license plate number led police to Merrill. Court records allege he was driving on a suspended license.

mcolias@post-trib.com