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Vehicular homicide case in court today

NILES — A Southington man is expected to appear this morning in Niles Municipal Court for a preliminary hearing to determine if he will be bound over to a grand jury on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident.

James W. Markley, 44, is accused of driving the vehicle that struck and killed Diana M. St. Julian, 31, of Cortland, early Sunday on North Main Street near East Federal Street.

Markley appeared in the court via video from the Trumbull County jail on Tuesday, where an automatic not guilty plea was entered for the second-degree felony charges.

He is being held without bond. The Ohio State Highway Patrol filed the charges, according to the court.

If the judge binds the case over, a Trumbull County grand jury will determine what charges, if any, Markley is indicted on in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court.

St. Julian was pronounced dead after she was transported to Trumbull Regional Medical Center. She was struck by a gray Honda traveling south. The driver of the vehicle left the scene and was located by Weathersfield police.

A GoFundMe account to assist St. Julian’s family with burial costs was started. As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, 49 people gave $2,791. The account can be found at https://gofund.me/3f364f42.

Markley was charged in Niles Municipal Court in 2000, 2001 and 2004 with operating a vehicle while intoxicated. Charges of disorderly conduct were filed against him in the court in 2006, 2011 and 2014, according to court records.

He was found guilty of the charges and ordered to pay fines and other costs.

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