A hearing scheduled this week was postponed for a Marine accused of negligent homicide and drunken driving in the Dec. 3 death of a popular Romanian musician.

The Article 32 hearing for Staff Sgt. Christopher R. VanGoethem will now likely be held sometime after the July Fourth holiday, according to a Marine spokesman, Maj. Matthew Morgan of the 4th Marine Expeditionary Brigade. Postponement was granted after the defense requested a continuance.

Article 32 hearings are held to determine whether charges will be recommended.

If charges are recommended, VanGoethem’s commander would then determine whether to court-martial the Marine on any of the charges.

VanGoethem, a former commander of the Marine security detachment at the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest, Romania, was also accused of reckless driving in the death of 50-year-old Teofil Peter.

VanGoethem was allegedly driving an embassy-owned vehicle that collided with a taxi at an intersection in the Romanian capital, killing Peter.