The man accused of running down a pedestrian with his vehicle in August pleaded not guilty to a deliberate homicide charge Thursday in Flathead County District Court.

Defense attorneys representing Jeffrey Scott Serio, 48, entered the plea before Judge Heidi Ulbricht during Serio’s Sep. 4 arraignment. Ulbricht set an omnibus hearing in the case for Nov. 19 and a pretrial conference for Jan. 9.

Serio, wearing an orange jumpsuit and sporting a salt-and-pepper beard and slicked back hair, peered wide-eyed around the courtroom while awaiting being called before Ulbricht.

Serio was already on law enforcement’s radar before the alleged slaying, according to documents filed by Deputy County Attorney Amy Kenison in district court. Kenison is prosecuting the murder case.

Authorities received a

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