A 21-year-old Iuka man entered a not guilty plea and demanded a jury trial on first degree murder and other charges surrounding the death of 66-year-old Nita Mobley of Salem in a May crash on West Main and Hotze Road.
Judge Mark Stedelin set the jury trial for Justin Bullard of North Avenue for August 15th. The next pre-trial hearing in the case is set for July 19th at ten am. Before entering the not guilty plea, Bullard waived a preliminary hearing where prosecutors would have had to present enough evidence to hold him over in the case.
In addition to first degree murder, Bullard is charged with aggravated driving under the influence resulting in death, aggravated street racing, and reckless homicide. He remains in the Marion County Jail in lieu of $1-million bond.
State Police say Bullard and 27-year-old Derrik Coomer of East Boone in Salem were street racing when Bullard struck Mobley’s car while she was turning from West Main to South Hotze Road. Coomer has been charged with aggravated reckless driving resulting in bodily harm and earlier waived a preliminary hearing, pleaded not guilty, and demanded a jury trial. A date has not yet been set.
Meanwhile, State’s Attorney Tim Hudspeth says he is still studying evidence before making a decision on if any charges will be filed against a passenger in Bullard’s pickup truck.
