Fatal hit and run trial gets pushed back because of change in lawyers

The man accused of a fatal hit-and-run involving a Mendota teenage girl has a new lawyer.

During a hearing Wednesday in Bureau County Court, attorney Joe Navarro bowed out as lawyer for twenty-year-old Jose Torres of Oglesby and has been replaced by Matthew Mueller. Because of the change in lawyers, Torres’ Monday trial date has been pushed back to December 5th.

Torres is accused of failing to report an accident involving a death. He allegedly hit and killed with his car 19-year-old Jacquelin Martinez of Mendota last August while she and others were walking on a rural road near Bureau. Everyone but Martinez survived.

He is being held in jail on $300,000 bond.