BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — The preliminary hearing for the alleged drunken driver charged in the death of Arvin educator Larry Hallum has been postponed to next year.
On Tuesday, Marque Qualls’ preliminary hearing — where a judge decides if there’s sufficient evidence for the case to proceed — was moved from Wednesday to Jan. 17, according to court records. Qualls remains in custody and is being held without bail.
Qualls, 26, faces charges including second-degree murder in the Feb. 15 collision at the intersection of Old River Road and White Lane. Court documents filed by Bakersfield police say Qualls drove drunk and told police he tried to kill himself by crashing.
According to the documents, Qualls had a blood-alcohol content of 0.18%, more than twice the legal limit.
Hallum, 79, died in April from injuries suffered in the crash. He worked at Arvin High School for four decades.
