The defendant in a case of forgery charges and reckless homicide charges failed to make a court appearance for the third time Monday.

Trisia A. Jones, who should be serving a house arrest sentence, missed two court appearances in September, Assistant State’s Attorney Duane Deters said Monday.

She failed to appear in court for the forgery charges Monday and missed past forgery charge appearances.

Judge Theresa Righter ruled Monday for the State’s Attorney’s office to proceed with the case in Jones’ absence.

Jones’ attorney, Thomas Reardon, was also absent for Monday’s hearing.

According to circuit court dockets, Jones should be under home confinement issued Sept. 16 as part of bail stipulations for the reckless homicide case.

Jones is facing four counts of reckless homicide charges for a June 20 accident that killed the passenger in her vehicle, Eastern student Sheila Sue Henson.

Last month, bail was set at 10 percent of $50,000 bond. In addition to posting $5,000, Jones was “released on recognizance,” and subject to electronically monitored home confinement.

Her charges say she, “committed the offense of reckless homicide in that said defendant, while acting in a reckless manner, performed acts likely to cause the death of or great bodily harm to some individual …”

The first count specifies driving under the influence of alcohol with a blood alcohol concentration above 0.08 percent and driving “at a speed which was greater than was reasonable and proper with regard to the existing traffic conditions,” was cause for reckless homicide.

Driving “under the influence of drugs and alcohol to such an extent to render (Jones) incapable of safely driving,” defined the second count.

Also included in Jones’ reckless homicide case were driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a revoked license charges, which were increased from misdemeanor to felony charges because of previous charges issued May 17, 2002 for driving under the influence of alcohol and driving with a revoked license.

Jones was behind the wheel June 20 when the car she was driving traveled off the road on Route 316 and hit a tree. Henson was pronounced dead the following morning after being transported to Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.

Cause of death was listed as “traumatic head injuries.”

On Sept. 11, a Champaign County Coroner’s jury declared Henson’s death a homicide.

During the inquest, Coles County Sheriff’s Department Detective Sgt. Tad Freezeland testified Jones was driving illegally.

“Officer Williamson (the responding officer) did a test for blood alcohol content,” Freezeland said. “Her blood alcohol content was 0.22 percent. Miss Jones had the presence of cocaine in her system.”

Five days later, the state’s attorney’s office issued a warrant for Jones’ arrest.

City Editor Carly Mullady can be reached at [email protected].