Auto salesman Morris Soard Jr. has to stop talking publicly about the ticket Florence police issued him for stopping a car on Ky. 18 to feed a panhandler.

Boone County District Court Judge Marcia Thomas said in court April 5 she will grant a gag order forbidding Soard, police, prosecutors and defense attorneys from talking before a June trial about the case on social media or to media.

Soard was in court with his pro bono attorney Rick Scott from Covington.

Scott said Thursday he was hopeful prosecutors, himself and police would be able to reach an agreement April 5 in court to avoid a jury trial.

The 51-year-old Independence man who was ticketed pleaded not guilty.

Soard said in a March 23 Cincinnati.com article he put on his hazard lights and saw no cars behind him when he stopped the car on Ky. 18 near an I-75 overpass to offer help.

The elderly man's "Homeless and hungry" sign got Soard's attention.

Soard bought a six-piece chicken meal with fries and a diet soda for the man he estimated was about 70-years-old.

Soard's wife handed the panhandler the food through the passenger side window.

A Florence officer approached. The officer, identified as M. Stanaland, issued Soard a citation for stopping or parking on a limited access highway.

"I support the men in blue and have respect for our court system," Soard said in the prior article, "but, you know, I think a ticket was extreme."

Earlier reporting:A Northern Kentucky man parked to offer food to a panhandler. An officer ticketed him

The defense did not contest April 5 when prosecutors changed the charge to blocking the travel portion of a highway.

Soard and his attorney both declined to comment after the April 5 hearing.

Florence Police Department told WCPO in March that citations are issued at the discretions of officers.

The charge is headed to a jury trial at 9 a.m. June 19.