Staff photo / Ed Runyan Robert C. Powell, 24, of West End, North Carolina, left, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to aggravated vehicular homicide; improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle; and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them — OVI, in a fatal April 10 crash on U.S. Route 422 in Coitsville, east of Campbell. His attorney is Jeffrey Jakmides.

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN — Robert C. Powell, 24, of West End, North Carolina, pleaded not guilty Tuesday in Mahoning County Common Pleas Court to two felony charges in an April 10 fatal crash on U.S. Route 422 in Coitsville, east of Campbell.

His charges are aggravated vehicular homicide; improperly handling firearms in a motor vehicle; and operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, a drug of abuse or a combination of them — OVI. If he were to be convicted of aggravated vehicular homicide, he could get about eight years in prison.

Mahoning County Magistrate Scott Fowler ordered Tuesday that Powell’s bond of $127,500 continue. The crash killed John Kulnis, 62, of New Castle, Pa.

Coitsville police Chief Michael Morris said Powell’s vehicle came in contact with Kulnis’ vehicle at the intersection of U.S. Route 422 and Hubbard Road.

There are stop signs on Hubbard Road but not on Route 422, according to Google Maps.

Powell also was charged with misdemeanor failure to yield the right of way, according to Campbell Municipal Court records. Powell was not indicted on that charge, according to county Common Pleas Court records.

Morris said Powell was in town working as a contractor who runs fiber-optic cable. An officer with the Coitsville Police Department filed the criminal charges in the case, but a crash reconstructionist with the Ohio State Highway Patrol assisted with the investigation, a dispatcher with the highway patrol said.

Powell’s OVI charge alleges he refused to take a blood-alcohol test.

Morris said two firearms were found in Powell’s vehicle.