Jury trials start next week in Dade Superior Court's spring criminal term. Among 19 felony cases shortlisted for trial, along with the drug and vehicular offenses that make up the criminal system's routine fodder, are a couple of locally high-profile cases.
Truck driver Gustavo Rodriguez is scheduled for trial in connection with one of Dade County's interstate fatalities in the freakily fatal week before Thanksgiving last year. The Pennsylvania man was cleared of initial DUI allegations in February when toxicology reports came back clean for both alcohol and drugs, but he still faces vehicular homicide charges for the driver who died when Rodriguez's truck crossed the I-59 median and slammed into another big rig.
Substitute teacher Amanda Pardue is scheduled to go on trial on charges she had inappropriate electronic sexual contact with underage boys.
Margarett Johnston faces charges of statutory rape, child molestation and contributing to the delinquincy of a minor charges.
And Nicolas Gravitt is accused of serious injury by vehicle.
