An October trial date has been set for a local tow truck driver accused of rear-ending a vehicle on Jonathan Moore Pike, causing a death.
Ruel P. Pedigo III, 49, of 1085 Jonesville Road, is scheduled for a jury trial at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 30 in Bartholomew Circuit Court on three felony charges related to the January accident, court records state.
At an initial hearing for Pedigo, a change-of-plea hearing date was set for 9:30 a.m. Oct. 1.
Pedigo is accused of:
- Operating a vehicle with a controlled substance in the blood, a Level 4 felony, the most serious among charges he faces.
- Reckless homicide, a Level 5 felony.
- Causing serious bodily injury when operating a motor vehicle with a controlled substance in the blood, a Level 6 felony.
The charges stem from a multi-vehicle accident at 7:40 p.m. Jan. 27 on Jonathan Moore Pike near Johnson Boulevard, court documents state. The accident happened in the eastbound lanes, involving as many as six vehicles.
Investigators said Pedigo was driving a Ford F650 tow truck with a vehicle on the flat-bed which rear-ended a Mazda 3 passenger car, resulting in the death of the Mazda driver, Patrick N. Bowman, 35, of Brown County.
Bowman, who was originally from Columbus, graduated from Columbus North High School in 2001.
For more on this story, see Wednesday’s Republic.
