42-Year-Old Man Indicted for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide in Youngstown Pedestrian Death

Two fatal pedestrian incidents in New Jersey and Ohio are under investigation and legal scrutiny. In Long Branch, New Jersey, Fernando Pinho, 74, was fatally struck by a BMW SUV while crossing Route 36; the driver remained at the scene and is cooperating with authorities, with no charges filed yet. In Youngstown, Ohio, Laird F. Bruner, 42, was indicted on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and failure to stop after a crash that killed pedestrian Joseph Novacich, 53. Novacich was struck while walking on Loveland Road, with security footage and witness accounts showing the SUV hit him and then flee the scene after briefly stopping. Bruner was arrested and is currently out on bond, awaiting arraignment. Both cases highlight ongoing investigations into pedestrian safety and the legal consequences of hit-and-run incidents.