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$100,000 bail set for man accused in T.O. jogger's death
Arraignment has been postponed until Sept. 12
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More from CourtsWearing a neck brace and standing inside a metal cage in a courtroom, a Camarillo man suspected of driving drunk and killing a jogger from Thousand Oaks made his first court appearance in the case Friday.
Nicholas Lagrotta, 23, was arrested after the death of Karey Marsh, 46, on Tuesday. He appeared in Ventura County Superior Court on Friday afternoon to hear the charges against him.
Lagrotta's case was assigned to the Public Defender's Office and his arraignment was postponed until Sept. 12.
Superior Court Judge Kevin McGee set bail at $100,000 for Lagrotta, who is charged with drunken driving and vehicular manslaughter.
The judge ordered him not to drive under the influence of any substance if he should post bail.
Marsh was pronounced dead at the scene near Lindero Canyon Road and Bowfield Street, according to Shasta Gainer, a Ventura County deputy medical examiner.
Lagrotta was driving south on Lindero Canyon Road at 6:23 a.m. when he struck Marsh, who was jogging in the bike lane, according to sheriff's investigators.
His vehicle continued into a planter filled with thick bushes and trees on the side of the road.
The vehicle also struck utility boxes and a water line, authorities said.
Marsh was thrown about 30 feet into some bushes, Ventura County Sheriff's Detective Eric Buschow said earlier this week.
Lagrotta apparently didn't know that he had struck someone, and deputies initially suspected it only because they saw Marsh's jogging shoes on the pavement, Buschow said.
Firefighters used a thermal camera to find her body, then had to cut through the heavy shrubs to reach her.
Lagrotta was taken to Los Robles Hospital & Medical Center in Thousand Oaks for treatment of moderate injuries.
Posted by Amazon on August 30, 2008 at 7:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
"The judge ordered him not to drive under the influence of any substance if he should post bail."
Does he have a drug or drinking problem? Why would the judge order the obvious?
Posted by THESILKY1 on August 30, 2008 at 8:42 a.m. (Suggest removal)
More subjects for the Camarillo Prison..........
Posted by Snafu on August 30, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. (Suggest removal)
He shouldn't drive at all! Don't they automatically suspend someone's license when they're arrested for DUI? Maybe that's just people under 21.
Posted by svwl on August 30, 2008 at 1 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Kudos to his parents?! Is that a joke? They raised their child to think its alright to get drunk at 6:00 AM and then drive a car. Yeah, good work.
We need to start holding parents accountable for the way they raise their children. It's sad that the kid has a drug and alcohol problem but he killed a woman because of his selfish stupidity. I don't see how his parents deserve any congratulations.
Posted by svwl on August 30, 2008 at 1:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Sorry, Camdad, I overreacted a little. I now see why you are saying Kudos, I think, because they didn't bail their son out, right?
Anyhow, I still think we should hold back on the congratulations for anybody related to the perpetrator.
It is ridiculous that the judge needs to state that he can't drive under the influence while out on bail. Shouldn't that be the norm for everyone?
We should have zero tolerance on DUI for everyone.
Posted by HavingMySay on August 30, 2008 at 6:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Wow, svwl, I guess you feel that we are all responsible for everything that our family members do? His parents may be fine people and he could still take a wrong turn in life. I say hold back on the accusations and judgement of his family. Judge him, if you want, but they sure weren't there supporting him as he ran her down. How do you know they "raised their child to think its alright to get drunk at 6:00 am and then drive a car"? It is not their fault, it is his, he was a big boy.
Posted by svwl on August 30, 2008 at 11 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Then whose fault is it? We don't want to give money to the government to raise our children, because that will lead to an increase in taxes. And parents are too busy to have the responsibility to raise their children. So, who will miraculously raise these kids to learn to care for others as well as their selves. TV isn't doing it.
Posted by calicat40 on August 31, 2008 at 5:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
He shouldn't have gotten bail set at all. When he decided to get into that car so drunk that he blacked out and killed a person then he became a murderer. Yes, harsh words. There is no forgiveness for taking the life of this beautiful woman that was loved by many both in her professional life and in her personal life. Are his parent responsible? No, they likely did the best they could with him. He was 23, an adult in the eyes of the law and society. I hope that when this young man wakes up every day and looks in the mirror he sees Karey's face staring back at him and that he has a very long life to recall how stupid his actions were that cost another person's life. The world is a little sadder with the loss of this person. A neckbrace? please.
California is far too lenient on these offenders.
Posted by my_2cents on September 2, 2008 at 9:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)
What is up with these young adults, thinking their all bad drinking and driving. They either kill themselves or they kill innocent people! My thoughts and prayers go out to the Marsh Family!!!
Posted by Guerre on September 2, 2008 at 10:10 a.m. (Suggest removal)
LaGrotta's case number is 2008035756 in Ventura County Superior Court, in case you want to follow along at home. He'll be in court 14 on Sept 12 at 1:30PM. For now, he's charged with 5 felonies including an enhancement for brain injury (presumably his own as it's rather academic for the girl he allegedly murdered).
Posted by JAD149 on September 5, 2008 at 1:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is so great to see everyone that is supportive through this case. It is time to take a stand to people like Nick and show how serious it is when you live your life the way Nick does. His irresponsibility has caused Karey to lose her life and hurt so many people that love her so much. Please support everyone that loves Karey and follow CAMDADs lead in contacting the DA to make sure this terrible waste of space, Nick, is prosecuted to the full and necessary extent. He has used all of his chances for redemption in life by not learning his lesson and in turn he has taken someone elses. It is very obvious at this point that he has not and most likely will not ever learn his lesson.
Please take a stand and lets give Karey the justice that such a beautiful and caring person, as she was, deserves. He needs to be prosecuted to the maximum potential. Please contact the DA and give him your support. We need to make sure that throughout this court case that the jury never takes sympathy for this kid as he stands there with his pitiful neck brace. If you would like to come to the hearing and sit in her support it will help to keep the emotion of a loved one lost so strong that any human being could see that ruling in favor of such a terrible person such as Nick is not realistic or right. Even if you dont know Karey personally stand up for the cause. It could potentially help to prevent one of your loved ones being lost to something tragic like this. What has occured is not okay. Take a stand and do what's right, nothing will ever change unless we all ban together and try.
Thank you again.
Posted by JAD149 on September 8, 2008 at 2:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Please use the information listed below to contact the DA in support of Karey:
800 S. Victoria Ave., Ventura, CA93009
805-654-2500
da.criminal@ventura.org
Posted by calicat40 on September 11, 2008 at 6:38 a.m. (Suggest removal)
looks like they moved the court date, its not there.
Posted by JAD149 on September 11, 2008 at 10:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Update on the court date. September 18th, Courtroom 14, at 1:30pm.
Posted by calicat40 on September 19, 2008 at 11:20 a.m. (Suggest removal)
did he go to court? I cant find anything on it.
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