Trending
YOUNGSTOWN -- The vehicular homicide trial of a Canfield man entered its third day Thursday with testimony focusing on the victim's fatal injuries.
Michael Malvasi II, 30, faces six felony charges in the Nov. 18, 2017, fatal accident on Shields Road in Canfield Township that killed 23-year-old Ryan Lanzo.
Testimony for the state continues today in the courtroom of Mahoning County Common Pleas Judge Maureen Sweeney.
Via video deposition, jurors heard from Dr. Andrea McCollum, deputy medical examiner for Cuyahoga County who performed the autopsy of Lanzo. She said Lanzo died of blunt force trauma consistent with injuries sustained in an auto accident.
McCollum said external injuries amounted to abrasions across Lanzo's body, but Lanzo died from heavy internal injuries to the brain, his lungs, liver and a laceration to his aorta. She also described fractures to his ribs and clavicle.
"He probably died within five minutes or less after the accident," McCollum said in answer to a question posed by assistant Prosecutor Robert Andrews.
During cross-examination from defense attorney John Juhasz, McCollum said toxicology tests on Lanzo showed he had traces of marijuana and amphetamines in his system along with a blood-alcohol content of 0.081, just above the state's legal limit for driving. The doctor also noted that residue of cocaine found in Lanzo's system showed he had used the drug within the previous 24 hours.
In his opening statement Wednesday, Malvasi told the jurors that Lanzo was driving the car that reports said struck a tree along the S curve on Shields Road between state Route 46 and Raccoon Road. McCollum said the report she received from investigators into the accident was that Lanzo was ejected from the vehicle.
Prosecutors state that Malvasi was the driver of the car and moved Lanzo's body from the accident scene after he had walked home to get a second vehicle. Malvasi's father then took Lanzo to the urgent care center in Austintown, where he was pronounced dead about 4 a.m.
In a statement to jurors made by assistant prosecutor Michael Yacovone, both sides had agreed to the fact that the younger Malvasi had moved the body and that the older Malvasi had taken the victim to the care center. Yacovone said this stipulation would not require the defendant's dad to testify.
Also testifying Thursday were Sgt. Eric Golias of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and Canfield police officer Aaron Young, who entered the younger Malvasi's bedroom about two hours after the accident. Golias, who was in charge of the initial investigation, said he was called from the Southington post to handle the accident scene because the Mahoning County post had no supervisors on duty during that shift.
Golias said when Malvasi was awakened, he complained of pains to his side and EMTs rushed him to a hospital to get checked. The patrol officer said the defendant's clothing, including jeans and a shirt, that were found in the bathroom were preserved for possible evidence.
Earlier testimony had multiple witnesses seeing Lanzo and Malvasi at a Boardman bar the night of the crash, with the two allegedly drinking alcohol.
Lanzo asked friends for a ride home, earlier testimony stated, because Malvasi appeared to be "blackout" drunk.
Malvasi is charged with two counts of aggravated vehicular homicide, two counts failure to stop after an accident, tampering with evidence and driving under the influence.