Another pre-trial conference date has been set for Donald R. Petitt, who has been accused of vehicular homicide in the death of Emporian Rachel Hall.
On July 9, 2007, Hall was 20 years old when the vehicle she was driving was struck by a cement truck driven by Petitt at the intersection of Roads 175 and U.
Petitt, then 34 and living in Ozawkie, was working on a nearby construction project and was employed by Penny’s Concrete. He also is charged with failure to yield or stop at a stop sign.
A pre-trial conference on Monday was held before District Judge Lee Fowler, who heard the proceedings that originally had been scheduled before Magistrate Judge John Conklin, who retired this month.
Conklin’s replacement, Douglas Jones of Chase County, will begin hearing cases next month.
Petitt’s next conference is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. on Feb. 11.
“We’ll probably get motion dates at that time,” said Lyon County Assistant County Attorney Nick Heiman, who is prosecuting the case.
According to court records, Petitt is represented by attorney Trevor Riddle of Wichita.
A civil suit filed by Emporia attorney Michael C. Helbert in conjunction with the fatal accident was settled in late August of this year in district court. The suit, which named Petitt and Penny’s Concrete as defendants, was filed by Jakob Keisler, guardian and next friend of of Rylee A. Hall, Rachel Hall’s minor daughter and heir, and by James L. Hall.
Terms of the settlement were not released.