The 19 year old man charged with three manslaughter counts in the hit and run deaths of three University of Arizona students had his first appearance in Superior Court Monday. Louis John Artal was formally informed of the charges against him.

Louis John Artal stood with his attorney and calmly answered questions from the Judge. Judge Clayton Kamm entered a not guilty plea for Artal. Thats routine at this early stage of a case.

Artal has been free on a quarter million dollar cash bond since late last week.

He had been jailed since the end of October when he turned himself in after the crash that killed UA students Sophia Troetel, Josiah Santos, and Katya Castillo-Mendoza.

Their relatives were in court for Artals appearance. Some cried as the hearing went on.

A Maricopa County Prosecuto

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