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

Marcos Garcia Jeronimo, 22, was originally charged with murder in the death of Marcelo Bolom, 23, of San Diego.

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

According to testimony presented in court, Bolom was riding a bicycle Aug. 20 when he stopped in front of Jeronimo's car in a parking lot on Capricorn Way.

Jeronimo allegedly 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. She said her client thought the bicycle, not the body, was stuck under the car and kept driving to dislodge it. –D.L.