The suspect in a fatal hit-and-run is set to face pretrial in the 1st Judicial Circuit Court on Oct. 18.
Dylan Lee Jones, 21, faces a potential life sentence due to four felony cases stemming from the hit-and-run, according to his attorney, Kimm Burger.
One case consists of reckless driving causing death and failure to stop at the scene of an accident resulting in death. Another case consists of third-degree fleeing and eluding a police officer, along with receiving or concealing a stolen motor vehicle. Two more cases bring charges of possession of methamphetamine, according to Burger. In one instance, prosecutors allege that police found meth in the vehicle Jones was driving. In the other instance, Jones allegedly possessed meth while at the jail.
Since the prosecution defines Jones as a habitual offender, Burger said, these charges carry the potential penalty of life imprisonment.
“He denies the charges and wants a trial to require the prosecution to prove their cases beyond a reasonable doubt,” Burger said.
According to police, Jones was driving a white Chevy Malibu when he allegedly struck Kevin Brewer around 8:30 a.m on Aug. 21. After hitting Brewer, Jones got out of the vehicle, but then got back in, drove away, and later abandoned the vehicle, according to reports.
The 56-year-old Brewer was pronounced dead at the scene.
The preliminary hearing was initially adjourned, according to Burger. After preliminary examinations last week, however, Judge Megan Stiverson of the 2B District Court decided that there was probable cause to advance the case to circuit court for a pretrial.
According to Burger, the pretrial “normally is the time that trial dates will be determined. However, since we are not scheduling trials at this time, it is more of a ‘fictitious’ hearing in the fact that nothing will be accomplished,” she said. “Not much can really be set until such time as a trial date is secured.”
Circuit Court Administrator Cindy Webb confirmed that the court is not scheduling trials due to COVID-19. After consulting with the health department, she said, the court made this decision for “safety reasons.”
