Change-of-plea hearing scheduled for woman charged in Youngstown firefighter’s death

ASHTABULA — The woman police say caused a crash that resulted in the death of a Youngstown Fire Department battalion chief appears ready to change her plea from not guilty.

Josephine Palmer, 48, of Northfield, faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and failure to yield for a stop sign for her role in the death of the late battalion chief Ronald Russo.

She appeared today in Ashtabula Municipal Court for a pretrial and court records show a change-of-plea hearing scheduled for Feb. 16.

In October, Russo and his brother Bob, a Mahoning County deputy sheriff, rode their motorcycles up state Route 45 in Saybrook Township when Ronald Russo collided with a van driven by Palmer at the intersection with North Bend Road.

He later died from injuries sustained in the crash.

Palmer was not paying attention and did not come to a complete stop, Ohio State Highway Patrol troopers said when charges were filed.