Two teenagers charged with involuntary manslaughter waived their rights to formal arraignment and pleaded not guilty in Floyd County Superior Court on Thursday.

Tymurius Elkins, 16, of Rome, was stabbed to death by Ricky Ricardo Cruz, 20, of 136 Williamson St., during a fight in the parking lot of Bruster’s Ice Cream on Shorter Avenue on Feb. 20, police reported.

William West, of 204 E. Valley Road, and Jonathan Tyler Carson, of 108 Northwood Drive, are charged with felony involuntary manslaughter and felony false statements and are also charged with simple battery, battery, affray and false report of a crime, which are misdemeanors.

A Floyd County grand jury chose not to indict Cruz.

Involuntary manslaughter is the unintentional death of another. Felony involuntary manslaughter can result in a prison sentence of one to 10 years. 

West was also stabbed and recovered from his injuries. He has been out of jail on bond since his arrest on Feb. 24. Carson has remained in jail and has a hold from juvenile court, according to jail records.

Preliminary reports from the Rome Police Department indicate West was driving a car with Elkins and Carson as passengers. They saw Cruz walking down the road and thought he had made an obscene gesture, police reported.

The teens turned into the Bruster’s parking lot, where a fight began between the three teens and Cruz.

Police say Cruz stabbed Elkins and West.