MASSENA, New York (WWNY) – Jury selection was to continue Thursday in the manslaughter trial of Blakely Houle of Massena, after 10 jurors were picked Wednesday.
Houle, who was 22 at the time of his arrest, is accused in the hit an run death of James Hayes, 30, of Massena.
Houle allegedly struck and killed Hayes with his minivan on Massena’s Center Street the night of May 29, 2021. A grand jury indicted Houle on indicted on counts of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, and first-degree and second-degree assault.
In addition to being charged in Hayes’ death, Houle was also charged with attempted assault against David Westurn and A.J. Perone, who were also there on the street that night.
At the time of the incident, Westurn said he and Hayes’ nephew pursued Houle.
“We literally chased him down the road to catch him. And I held him in a restraint till the officer showed up, grabbed him, and put him in cuffs,” said Westurn.
Perone, said he and friends were setting off fireworks. Perone said the minivan almost hit him and then struck Hayes. He said they set upon Houle to try and keep him there.
“Yeah, I hit him. He just killed a friend of mine. Like yeah, I hit him,” said Perone.
Houle has previously served time in state prison for possession of stolen property.
St. Lawrence County Court Judge Greg Storie is presiding over the trial. The county’s conflict defender office is providing Houle with lawyers to defend him.
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