|
|
||
|
|
||
After Marco Antonio Valencia, 21, pleaded not guilty to 13 criminal counts and several enhancements, Superior Court Judge Ronald Coen ordered him to return to court for a pretrial conference on Jan. 22.
The charges include murder, gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, leaving the scene of an accident, driving with a suspended license and several DUI charges, according to court documents.
On July 11, Valencia allegedly hit a group of bicyclists on a remote, winding stretch of Bouquet Canyon Road just before speeding off.
The crash killed Joseph Novotny, who was reportedly a Santa Clarita Velo cycling club member who had recently moved from Belgium to Stevenson Ranch.
Test results show that Valencia had a blood alcohol level of .18 percent — more than double the legal limit — and was high on methamphetamine, cocaine and marijuana at the time of the crash, prosecutors said during a recent preliminary hearing.
The allegations follow two DUI convictions in 2007 and 2008, according to court documents.
