WARREN — The man who last month withdrew two guilty pleas in a case of reckless homicide in connection to a shooting death in February outside a bar in Niles will go on trial this week.

Ryan M. Daniels, 29, of Bonnie Brae Avenue SE, Warren, is accused of accidentally shooting and killing Britney Mazanec, 33, of Niles, as she was in a car attempting to leave the Hideaway Lounge on U.S. Route 422 in Niles.

Jury selection in the case before Trumbull County Common Pleas Judge Ronald J. Rice will begin Tuesday. It’s expected jurors in the afternoon will view the site of the fatal shooting.

The case seemed to be over last month after Daniels pleaded guilty to reckless homicide and a gun charge, but on Oct. 4 Rice allowed Daniels to rescind his plea after the judge’s remarks that day indicated he was giving Daniels more than two years in prison — a sentence agreed upon by the prosecutor and defense attorney.

The case took another turn last week when at a hearing, Daniels wanted to dismiss his attorney, John Juhasz. Rice instead intervened.

“This trial will go forward, Mr. Daniels, regardless of whether you have Mr. Juhasz as an attorney. We have been delaying this case since April. Mr. Juhasz is probably one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the county,” Rice said.

Juhasz told the judge he and Daniels had a “fundamental disagreement” over the way the case would be processed.

Last month, Juhasz said the change of plea partly was because of new information provided by prosecutors “that I need to investigate.” However, that subject did not come up at the Nov. 4 hearing.

Rice, however, did allow Daniels to pursue a new co-signer on his bond after the first co-signer wanted out. Daniels has been free after posting 10 percent of the $1 million bond on April 11, court records state. The matter was complicated when Daniels was arrested last month on a domestic violence charge. Warren Municipal Court records show Daniels pleaded guilty to that charge Oct. 29 before Judge Terry Ivanchak, who placed him on three years probation.

Since then, Daniels has remained on electronically-monitored house arrest, only allowed to go to work and to his attorney’s office.

If a jury finds Daniels guilty of three charges — reckless homicide, involuntary manslaughter and illegal possession of firearms on the premises of a liquor establishment — he could get a maximum of nine years in prison.

The involuntary manslaughter charge was going to be dismissed in exchange for his guilty plea. The courtroom on Nov. 4 again was filled with Mazanec’s parents and other supporters.

Documents filed in recent weeks by Trumbull County Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Becker state his office learned about new witnesses in the case through an anonymous letter.

At a previous hearing, Niles detective Anthony Roberts testified Daniels shot Mazanec as he twice struck the front passenger window of the car with his gun. The second time, the gun went off, striking Mazanec in the arm and torso, killing her.

Daniels told police he struck the window after Mazanec’s car “brushed” him while in motion. The defendant said he was “leaning” over to help after seeing several women in a fight.

Daniels left the scene by the time police arrived, but he turned himself in later to police, a report states. A gun believed to be involved in the shooting was later recovered at Daniels’ apartment, a report states.

gvogrin@tribtoday.com