Turlock road rage trial scheduled for July

A judge has scheduled a trial to start July 17 for a Turlock man charged with second-degree murder in the beating death of a 67-year-old Hilmar man in 2010.

Michael Joseph Hoyt, 52, is accused of killing Ken Winter during a suspected road rage incident.

In a preliminary hearing a year ago, Stanislaus County Superior Court Judge Ricardo Córdova ruled there was sufficient evidence for a jury to decide whether Hoyt acted with implied malice when he repeatedly hit Winter, who later died from his injuries at a hospital.

The confrontation occurred Feb. 1, 2010, at Linwood Avenue and Paulson Road in Turlock. Authorities say Winter was making a turn and Hoyt thought Winter failed to stop his pickup at the stop sign. They got out of their vehicles, and a fight ensued.

Later, both men apparently got back in their vehicles; Winter tried to drive away but lost consciousness.

Hoyt remains free on $1 million bail.