PEKIN, Ill. – A Pekin teenager being tried as an adult for a fatal accident he allegedly caused last month has pleaded not guilty to the crime.
Court records indicate that’s what happened during an arraignment hearing Thursday for Jonathan Qualls, 17. He is being tried as an adult and faces two counts each of Aggravated Reckless Driving and Leaving the Scene of an Accident Involving Death, and a count of Possession of a Stolen Vehicle.
Qualls allegedly struck Justin Barnhart, 47, and Christina Kolesar, 35, while the two were on a motorized scooter June 15th near Second and Caroline Streets in Pekin, killing the two.
25 News reports witnesses told police Qualls said he wrecked the car and did something, “really bad.”
Qualls remains jailed. A pre-trial hearing is scheduled for July 27th, with a potential trial date of August 28th.
