Newton Falls man faces charge of vehicular homicide

WARREN — A Trumbull County grand jury has returned a criminal case to Warren Municipal Court charging Nathan J. Ferris, 21, of Newton Falls with a misdemeanor charge of vehicular homicide.

Ferris was the driver of a car that hit a utility pole beside Palmyra Road near Kibler Toot Road on Oct. 9, 2010. His passenger, Ashley Jerina, 20, of Newton Falls, died in the crash. Neither Ferris nor Jerina was wearing a seat belt.

Ferris, who was seriously injured, was charged with aggravated vehicular homicide, a felony, and the case was bound over from municipal court to the county grand jury in July.

But the grand jury on Monday refused to indict Ferris on the felony offense and instead chose the misdemeanor.

If convicted of vehicular homicide, Ferris could get up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.