NORTHAMPTON — A South Hadley man charged in the deaths of two pedestrians he hit with his car in Easthampton last year was sentenced Wednesday in Northampton District Court to a year in jail, suspended for five years while he is on probation, after pleading guilty to the charges, according to the Northwestern district attorney’s office.

Stuart A. Larkin, 65, pleaded guilty to two counts of negligent motor vehicle homicide in connection with the deaths of Edward O. Hanlon Jr., 81, and Ilona L. Murray, 60, on Route 10 in Easthampton in August 2022, the DA’s office said. Larkin’s car struck the couple shortly after they had gotten off a PVTA bus and were walking across the roadway.

In her brief sentencing remarks, the DA’s office said, Judge Jacklyn Connly echoed comments made by both Northwestern Assistant District Attorney Matthew Thomas and Springfield defense attorney Joseph Bernard, each of whom noted the devastation the deaths caused the victims’ family and friends as well as Larkin’s genuine remorse and cooperation following the accident.

The sentence means that Larkin will not serve jail time as long as he stays out of trouble with the law.

Connly also ordered Larkin to perform 200 hours of community service “in honor of the victims and their family.” The victims, both residents of Easthampton, were well-known volunteers at organizations such as Manna Soup Kitchen and the biweekly Building Bridges veterans luncheon hosted by the Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts.

Thomas, the prosecutor, had recommended a sentence of two years in the Hampshire House of Correction, one year for each victim.

“While we understand Mr. Larkin feels badly for the killing of Mr. Hanlon and Ms. Murray and commend him for cooperating with the police during the initial stages of the investigation, we cannot ignore the loss felt by the family of the deceased and the loss to the community in general,” Thomas wrote in a sentencing memo. “The killing in this case, as is often the case in a negligent killing, was of good people by a good person.”

Bernard asked for a suspended sentence and no direct jail time, saying his client has been sincerely remorseful since the accident happened, after which he was so distraught he collapsed on the sidewalk.

“What we saw here was truly an accident,” Bernard said, as his client sat next to him sobbing.

The charges are misdemeanors that carry a maximum of 2½ years in the House of Correction with a 15-year license loss.

The collision occurred near the Burger King on Route 10 in Easthampton around 7:30 p.m. Aug. 2, approximately half an hour before sunset. An investigation by Easthampton Police and State Police concluded Larkin should have seen the pedestrians in time to avoid striking them.