A 64-year-old Nebraska City man has pleaded not guilty to a misdemeanor count of vehicular homicide.

A pretrial hearing for Larry Lawton is scheduled for April 12. Lawton also is charged with three traffic infractions.

Authorities say Lawton’s vehicle struck William “Walkin’ Willie” Perkins in a Nebraska City crosswalk on Nov. 6. The 79-year-old Perkins died Nov. 27 at a Lincoln hospital.

Perkins got the nickname “Walkin’ Willie” because he used to walk 16 miles from Hamburg, Iowa, to Nebraska City to work or pick up his mail. Sometimes, his friends would see him and give him a lift.

Perkins later moved to Nebraska City and made daily rounds to visit friends in the downtown.