TRUMBULL COUNTY Grand jury will hear case in hit-and-run accident

Police went to get the defendant, who failed to appear in court.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A Trumbull County grand jury will decide if a Portage County man should face a felony charge of failure to stop at an accident.
Judge Thomas Gysegem of Warren Municipal Court sent the case to the grand jury Tuesday, moments after Darrell Kirkwood, 38, of Nelson, waived his right to a preliminary hearing.
Kirkwood, who remains free on a $2,500 bond, has pleaded innocent.
What's alleged
Police said Kirkwood was driving his vehicle Aug. 10 on Glenwood Street N.E. when it struck MarQuis Gary, who was riding his bicycle.
The 5-year-old boy spent two days in intensive care at St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown and has since been recovering at home.
Family members, who attended the court hearing, were upset that the hearing was delayed for an hour because Kirkwood did not show up.
"The police had to go pick him up because he said he didn't know the day he was suppose to be here," said Barbara Thornton, MarQuis' grandmother.
"The police department is not a taxi service. A warrant should have been issued for his arrest."
Police officers said Judge Gysegem told them to go get Kirkwood.
"I'm a little surprised that they [the family] would want a delay in proceedings that concern injury to their child, that is puzzling to me," Judge Gysegem said.
Pleased with probe
Thornton and other members of the boy's family said they have been pleased with the work of Sgt. Larry Salvato and officer Ben Harrell in their investigation of the case.
The city has erected signs near where MarQuis was struck, urging drivers to slow down.
An account has been established at Cortland Banks to help MarQuis' family with the medical bills.
sinkovich@vindy.com