TOLEDO, Ohio — A man accused of hitting and killing a pedestrian in east Toledo in December pleaded not guilty to vehicular homicide charges in court this week.
Austin Erel, 38, entered the plea to charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or drugs at his arraignment in Lucas County Common Pleas Court on Wednesday.
According to a crash report, Erel was turning onto Woodville Road from Oak Street when he struck a pedestrian, Mark Roper, 68, who was crossing the street in a crosswalk. Roper died from his injuries at the hospital six days after the collision…