Vehicular homicide suspect out on bond

The defendant was secretly indicted Tuesday.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- A 48-year-old McDonald man who pleaded innocent to charges of vehicular homicide, hit-and-run and tampering with evidence has been released on a $10,000 bond.
Judge W. Wyatt McKay of Trumbull County Common Pleas Court set the bond for Terry Thomas during Wednesday's brief hearing.
The Trumbull County grand jury secretly indicted Thomas on Tuesday, and he voluntarily surrendered to police early Wednesday.
According to Ken Bailey, an assistant Trumbull County prosecutor, and Capt. Frank Bigowsky of Girard police, Thomas is accused of driving a 1999 white Jeep Cherokee that struck and killed 66-year-old James Felger of McDonald on Dec. 4.
Felger was found around 1 a.m. Dec. 4 after a passer-by spotted a body alongside the road at the west end of the Girard-McDonald Viaduct. He lay where West Liberty Street and Marshal Road come together, police said.
Felger was retired, lived in McDonald and liked to walk, Bigowsky said.
Cooperation
Thomas voluntarily relinquished his vehicle to police in December. However, his attorney, Robert Shaker, asked the judge Wednesday to order police to return the vehicle.
"My client works at RMI, he just got back to work after a long lock out, and he needs his vehicle," Shaker said.
Bailey first said the vehicle was evidence but then agreed to return the jeep as long as police will be able to keep the grille as evidence. Shaker agreed, and the vehicle is scheduled to be released to Thomas in the next few days, police said.
Both Thomas and Shaker declined to comment.
Thomas is scheduled to return to court April 25.
sinkovich@vindy.com