YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) — A man arrested last week for causing the death of a woman following a police chase pleaded not guilty Tuesday at his arraignment.
Jaquan Jenkins, 23, entered his pleas before Judge R. Scott Krichbaum in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to charges of involuntary manslaughter, aggravated vehicular homicide and failure to comply with the order or signal of police.
A bond hearing will be held Sept. 6, the same day a status hearing will also be held.
Austintown police said Jenkins was the driver of a car officers tried to pull over Dec. 1 after receiving a report that a man was fighting a woman in a car.
Jenkins refused to stop and instead led police on a chase east down Mahoning Avenue. Once he got into Youngstown, he crashed at Mahoning and South Bon Air Avenues and the car was sheared in half.
A passenger, Kaitlyn Cefalde, 22, died the next day from her injuries at St. Elizabeth Health Center.
Jenkins was also treated at St. Elizabeth, but he fled the hospital before formal charges could be brought.
He was indicted March 30 by a grand jury.
Jenkins was not arrested until last week when he was found by members of the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Fugitive Task Force.
Jenkins was walking with a limp as he was led into the courtroom by deputies.
