Jelks testimonyl offers no proof of her involvement in Walker death

WARREN

After one day full of testimony, the involuntary-

manslaughter trial of Regan Jelks, 22, explained a few things about the shooting death of her 24-year-old boyfriend, Taemarr Walker, on Oct. 19, 2013, by a Warren police officer — but didn’t do much to prove she bears any blame for his death.

Jelks is charged with involuntary manslaughter and improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle, alleging that Walker died “as a proximate result of [her] committing or attempting to commit” the firearms offense.

Details regarding Walker’s death have been scarce, so accounts of what happened from officer Michael Krafcik and tow-truck driver Jerry Gifford proved informative, especially Gifford’s description of being just feet away from Krafcik as the officer tried in vain to arrest Walker.

Gifford, who works for Mays Towing, said he was trying to tow an abandoned vehicle out of a ditch on Risher Road when Walker came up from behind in Jelks’ car and misjudged his ability to drive past the tow truck, going into the ditch on the other side of the road.

“I was going to approach the vehicle and say, ‘What’s wrong with you?’” Gifford said. Krafcik got there first.

Read more of his, and Jelks', testimony in Wednesday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.