SAN DIEGO – A man accused of running down a bicyclist in Mira Mesa and dragging the body more than 500 feet was ordered Wednesday to stand trial on charges of voluntary and vehicular manslaughter.

Marcos Garcia Jeronimo, 22, originally was charged with murder and an allegation of using the car as a deadly weapon in the death of Marcelo Bolom, 23, of San Diego.

But San Diego Superior Court Frederic Link said the evidence didn't support a murder charge and he ordered Jeronimo to be tried on lesser charges.

According to testimony presented in court, Bolom was riding a bicycle on Aug. 20 when he stopped in front of Jeronimo's car in a parking lot on Capricorn Way. Jeronimo accelerated his Dodge Neon, hitting Bolom and dragging the bike and the body 543 feet. Jeronimo eventually stopped driving and ran off, leaving the body pinned beneath the car.

He turned himself in to police a couple days later.

Prosecutor Patrick Ojeil argued that Jeronimo committed second-degree murder because he had “an ongoing feud” with the bicyclist. Jeronimo's sister-in-law testified she had a romantic affair with Bolom.

Defense Attorney Terry Zimmerman argued that Jeronimo was afraid of Bolom, who had been drinking and was acting aggressively. Jeronimo told police he saw Bolom reach toward the small of his back, and Jeronimo mistakenly thought the bicyclist was reaching for a gun.

Zimmerman said her client didn't stop driving right away because he believed the bicycle, not the body, was stuck under the car.

He kept driving in an attempt to dislodge it, she said.

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