NORWICH – Today in County Court, a number of high-profile cases will be heard, including two homicides.

• George Ford Jr., 42, of Piscataway, N.J., was charged with second degree murder after he allegedly struck Shyanne A. Somers, 12, Route 26, South Otselic, with his Ford extended cab pick-up truck, causing severe trauma and massive internal injuries resulting in her instant death.

He will be appearing today at 11:30 a.m. at the County Courthouse.

Ford originally said the accident took place July 8 at around midnight, but the victim wasn’t transported to the hospital until five hours later. Police later uncovered a hidden GPS device in Ford’s truck, placed there by his wife over a suspicion he was cheating. The device contradicted Ford’s statement, revealing he spent over three hours behind an abandoned house on the night of the incident. Ford tested positive for cocaine use; police also detected .01 percent alcohol in his blood stream five hours after the alleged incident took place and found a bag of marijuana in his truck.

Ford is expected to plead not guilty to second degree murder and the prosecution will attempt to raise the $100,000 bail he is currently being held on.