Woman arraigned in Youngstown traffic death


April 11, 2012 at 4:57p.m.

Woman arraigned in Youngstown traffic death

YOUNGSTOWN

A 21-year-old Alliance woman was arraigned in Youngstown Municipal Court Wednesday on a vehicular homicide charge stemming from a car accident in February.

Samantha Yoder remains free on her own recognizance. She appeared in the courtroom of Judge Robert Milich of Youngstown Municipal Court with her attorney for arraignment Wednesday morning. She pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charges.

Judge Milich released Yoder on her own recognizance. She is set to return to court May 7 for a pretrial hearing before Judge Robert Douglas of Youngstown Municipal Court.

Yoder is implicated in the vehicular death of 45-year-old Susan Welsh in a car accident Feb. 14 at Fifth and Rayen avenues. The Mahoning County coroner is still investigating the exact cause of death.

Susan Welsh was a passenger in a car driven by her mother, 79-year-old Elaine Welsh, traveling westbound on Rayen Avenue at about 3 p.m. Yoder, a Youngstown State University student, was traveling southbound on Fifth Avenue when she struck the car containing the Welsh women.

Elaine Welsh was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center for treatment, but Susan Welsh died two days later.