Jennifer Porter, a 28-year- old Muller Elementary School dance teacher who also owns a private dance school, is charged in the case with leaving the scene of an accident involving death.

The scheduled trial date comes after an August hearing when the teacher's attorney, Barry Cohen, asked the judge to push back the original Oct. 26 trial date. Although Black said Thursday that he wanted the April date to be firm, Cohen said he doubted that would be possible.

`We don't expect to be ready in April, to be honest,` Cohen said after the hearing, adding that the state has named 113 witnesses that his office must interview.

Also Thursday, Cohen asked the judge whether he could have more time before providing a list of defense witnesses to prosecutors. The prosecutors already have provided Cohen their list of witnesses.

Cohen said he is waiting for information from the State Attorney's Office about the case before he can formulate Porter's case and determine who his witnesses will be.

About 7 p.m. March 31, Bryant Wilkins, 13, his brother Durontae Caldwell, 3, and their siblings Lajuan Davis, 2, and Aquina Wilkins, 8, were leaving a basketball game at the University Area Community Center. While crossing North 22nd Street, they were struck in the roadway.

Bryant and Durontae died.

Initially, Hillsborough County sheriff's deputies said they had witnesses who saw a white van and a small car, possibly a Honda, strike the children.

Porter, who drove a Toyota Echo, turned herself in to deputies days after the accident.

Deputies now say the white van was not involved.

`When we gave them the car and when we turned ourselves in, they stopped investigating this case,` Cohen said Thursday. `The sheriff's office has a responsibility to get to the whole truth.`

Sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said the investigation is closed.

`We did a thorough investigation,` she said. `It's currently in the hands of the justice system.`

Public documents in the State Attorney's Office mention blood found on Porter's Toyota.

Cohen says the children were struck by the van, then flung into her car.

Reporter Thomas W. Krause can be reached at (813) 259-7698.