MANCHESTER, NH – Police have arrested an Ohio woman, charged Wednesday with negligent homicide in connection with an early-morning untimely death investigation.
Manchester Police were called to the area of Bridge Street at approximately 1:40 a.m. on Aug. 22 for an incident involving a gun after receiving a 911 call. Units responded to the alley located behind 14 Pearl St. and spoke with Jorjianna Rittenhour, 32, of McGuffey, OH.
Rittenhour directed the officers to the rear door of nearby Bridge Street address where she stated a man suffering from a fatal gunshot wound was inside of the Bridge Street apartment. Rittenhour was charged with negligent homicide after detectives determined she fired a handgun which mortally wounded the 37 year-old man.
The handgun was secured on scene and placed into evidence. Detectives formally charged Rittenhour with negligent homicide. Her court date has not been determined at this time.
According to NH criminal code, the definition of negligent homicide is as follows:
I. A person is guilty of a class B felony when he causes the death of another negligently.
II. A person is guilty of a class A felony when in consequence of being under the influence of intoxicating liquor or a controlled drug or any combination of intoxicating liquor and controlled drug while operating a propelled vehicle, as defined in RSA 637:9, III or a boat as defined in RSA 265-A:1, II, he or she causes the death of another.
III. In addition to any other penalty imposed, if the death of another person resulted from the negligent driving of a motor vehicle, the court may revoke the license or driving privilege of the convicted person for up to 7 years. In cases where the person is convicted under paragraph II, the court shall revoke the license or driving privilege of the convicted person indefinitely and the person shall not petition for eligibility to reapply for a driver’s license for at least 7 years. In a case in which alcohol was involved, the court may also require that the convicted person shall not have a license to drive reinstated until after the division of motor vehicles receives certification of installation of an ignition interlock device as described in RSA 265-A:36, which shall remain in place for a period not to exceed 5 years.
The name of the victim is being withheld by police at this time pending next of kin notifications. Rittenhour is scheduled to appear in Hillsborough County Superior Court-North at 1:30 p.m. on Aug. 22.
