Covina Woman Pleads 'Not Guilty' To Fatal Hit & Run

COVINA, CA —A 67-year-old motorist accused of killing a pedestrian in Claremont pleaded not guilty Monday to felony hit-and-run and misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter charges.

Helen Scheuplein of Covina is accused in the Jan. 8 death of James Radzik, 50, of Rancho Cucamonga, who was struck in the 1600 block of Towne Avenue near Syracuse Drive.

Scheuplein, who has been jailed in lieu of $50,000 bail since her arrest the following day, was ordered to return to court March 2, when a date is expected to be set for a preliminary hearing.

Radzik's body was found on the pavement about 2:30 a.m., according to Lt. Jason Walters of the Claremont Police Department.

Claremont police detectives spotted the suspect vehicle before 6 p.m. the next day in the 500 block of East Foothill Boulevard in Pomona and arrested her without incident, Walters said.

Scheuplein was booked into the Claremont Police Department Jail on suspicion of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in addition to the charges she now faces, according to Walters.