Judge postpones trial of woman charged in collision with cruiser

YOUNGSTOWN — Judge John M. Durkin of Mahoning County Common Pleas Court has granted a defense request for a two-month postponement of trial of a woman charged in the rear-end collision that severely burned an Austintown police officer.

Defense Atty. J. Gerald Ingram asked that the aggravated vehicular assault trial of Adrien N. Foutz be postponed about 60 days beyond the scheduled April 21 jury trial date. That’s because reports from the Ohio State Highway Patrol and the National Transportation Safety Board concerning the Nov. 11 crash and the hospital discharge report concerning the injured officer, Ross Linert, are still awaited.

Foutz, 22, of Iowa Avenue, Girard, who is free on $25,000 bond, waived her appearance at Friday’s pretrial conference. Judge Durkin said a final pretrial conference will be within 60 days.

The fiery 1:08 a.m. crash on North Meridian Road at Interstate 680, in which Linert’s cruiser was rear-ended, sent the 48-year-old Linert to a hospital with burns on his face, head, arms, hands and legs, and he underwent skin grafts.

Foutz’s blood-alcohol concentration on a portable Breathalyzer was three times the legal driving limit, according to city Prosecutor Jay Macejko.

The case is being prosecuted in common pleas court by Kenneth Cardinal, assistant county prosecutor.