PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A 69-year-old Philadelphia man pleaded guilty on Thursday to driving under the influence and fatally striking a bicyclist in South Philadelphia nearly three years ago.
In August 2023, Philadelphia attorney Mario D’Adamo III was on a bike ride in FDR Park when he was struck and killed by a driver. D’Adamo, 37, was riding in the bike lane.
Witnesses told investigators that the driver, Thomas Ford, didn’t stop to help. He drove off before he was arrested near the South Philadelphia Sports Complex.
Ford was sentenced to 6 ½ to 21 years behind bars. D’Adamo’s mother, Paula, was in court on Thursday.
“The way I had to see the way that man took my son’s life — high on drugs, alcohol, speeding, and not even caring to get out of the car,” she told NBC10.
Ford apologized to the D’Adamo family in court.
“My client wishes that at some point they begin to heal, and hopefully this is some sort of healing process for them,” said Michael Walker, Ford’s attorney.
Ford’s trial was delayed twice last year before he pleaded guilty on Thursday.
NBC10 is a broadcast partner of KYW Newsradio.
