Blood samples will be allowed as evidence in the trial against an Amherst doctor charged with vehicular manslaughter case.
Dr. James Corasanti is facing felony vehicular manslaughter charges for striking and killing 18-year-old Alexandria Rice late in the evening of July 8, 2011 on Heim Road in Amherst.
Defense attorneys had sought a hearing to suppress the blood and urine samples taken from the Getzville physician, arguing that police did not have probable cause to take the samples, the samples were not taken properly, and the samples exceeded the scope of the court order.
WBFO News was in court Friday when Erie County Court Judge Sheila DiTullio dismissed most of those arguments.
The judge said the urine sample cannot be used as evidence, but the blood draw can because there was probable cause. Judge DiTullio said police reported detecting an odor of alcohol from Corasanti and they collected statements from Corasanti saying "I hit something, but I'm not sure what. How's the girl. Is she dead?"
Corsanti's trial is scheduled to begin April 19.