Reconstruction expert considered in aggravated vehicular homicide case

A pretrial hearing was held Friday for a Sardinia man charged with aggravated vehicular homicide. 

Mickey Berry, 24, was indicted in March on the third-degree felony count, stemming from a September 2010 car crash that killed one and left others injured. 

The Ohio State Highway Patrol reported that on Sept. 17, the post responded to a three-car crash on state Route 138. 

Henry Stroop, 64, of Lynchburg, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the Post, a 2008 PT Cruiser, driven by Stroop, was northbound on state Route 138 when it was was struck by two vehicles head-on. 

During the pretrial hearing, Berry's attorney, Bruce Wallace, told Highland County Common Pleas Court Judge Rocky Coss that they may ask for a continuance, as they are considering hiring a reconstruction expert. 

"There is extensive discovery," Wallace said. "Mostly on crash reconstruction by the highway patrol."

Wallace said there were currently no pretrial motions because the defense had not had time to review all the discovery documentation. Highland County Prosecutor Jim Grandey said that there were additional discovery documents available to the defense as of Friday. 

Coss said that in his experience, he has known experts to be available for trial in as little as a week, depending on their availability. However, he said that he would not be against granting a continuance if the expert was not immediately available. The jury trial is currently scheduled for May 12. A final pretrial has been scheduled for May 4.