Plea negotiations continue in a fatal hit News, Sports, Work

AUSTINTOWN — A plea deal is underway for a man accused of a fatal hit-and-run in March.

James Stehura, 50, of Wedgwood Drive, is charged with third-degree murder in the March 11 death of Linda Adams, 66, on Lancaster Drive. At a preliminary hearing Monday, Mahoning County District Court Judge Anthony Donofrio agreed to continue the case until December. Donofrio’s secretary, Rhonda Murphy, said that if the prosecution and defense cannot reach a plea deal by then, the case will go to trial.

Stekhura’s case was originally set for July 15, but he signed a speedy trial agreement during a June 25 preliminary hearing and the two sides began plea negotiations.

In addition to the vehicular homicide charge, he faces charges of third-degree criminally negligent homicide, tampering with evidence and leaving the scene of an accident.

The police report said Stehura hit Adams with his truck as she was walking with her partner. During the investigation, police learned that Stehura had consumed at least nine drinks over a four-hour period at a local bar located just two minutes away on Lancaster Drive.

Police obtained video of Stekhura at the bar and him leaving the bar and getting into his truck. They also obtained video from the door camera of the truck that hit Adams and posted a photo of a vehicle matching both descriptions on the department’s Facebook page. A message on social media that evening led them to Stekhura’s home, but neither he nor the truck were there.

The next morning, an employee at Stekhura’s sawmill called police and reported that Stekhura’s truck was parked in the company’s garage with front-end damage similar to what police described in the Facebook post.

Later that day, Stehura’s attorney called and told police he was willing to talk to them and allow them to impound the truck for evidence.

Stehura was arrested on April 3 and indicted by a Mahoning County grand jury on April 17.

He remains free on $15,000 cash or bond.