VEHICULAR HOMICIDE Grand jury to hear hit-and-run case

The judge refused to lower the defendant's bond.
GIRARD -- A Youngstown man jailed in a fatal hit-and-run accident will have charges against him heard by a Trumbull County grand jury next month.
Rodney Pippen, 37, of Coronado Avenue, is charged with felony vehicular homicide in the death of Clayton Orechoneg, 71, of Youngstown in an auto accident in Liberty Township two weeks ago.
Judge Mike Bernard of Girard Municipal Court ruled Thursday that the case should be bound over to the grand jury for possible indictment.
Vehicular homicide is a second-degree felony punishable by up to eight years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
The accident
According to Ohio State Highway Patrol reports, Orechoneg was traveling north on Belmont Avenue at 7:35 a.m. on Dec. 17, and his car had entered the intersection to make a left turn onto Trumbull Avenue. His car was stuck head-on by a car driven by Pippen, who had run a red light.
Pippen and a passenger fled the accident scene on foot, but he later turned himself in to Youngstown police and was sent to Trumbull County Jail. Orechoneg died of his injuries the day after the accident.
In Thursday's hearing, Bernard denied a motion by defense attorney Anthony Antonucci to reduce Pippen's bond from $100,000 to $25,000. The judge cited Pippen's previous criminal record and the circumstances of the accident.
"The court has known Mr. Pippen for a long time, and that's not a good thing," he said. "He ran away and didn't come to the aid of the decedent."
Pippen remains in jail.
No statement to family
Antonucci said Pippen "has been saddened by this series of events" and wished to make a statement to members of Orechoneg's family.
Orechoneg's son, daughter-in-law and brother-in-law were at the hearing, but said they did not want to hear the statement.
Pippen is also charged with driving with a suspended license at the time of the accident. Girard court has jurisdiction in Liberty Township.