Truck driver in 2018 fatal crash sentenced
By Dan Thesman on Tuesday, June 7th, 2022 in Columbia Basin News More Top Stories
WALLA WALLA – John H. Mehlschau, 63, of Reno, Nevada, was sentenced Monday in Walla Walla County Superior Court to 364 days in jail with 334 days suspended in connection to collision involving a bicyclist on January 22, 2018. Thirty days of total confinement were converted to 240 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay $700 in victim assessment and court costs.
Mehlschau pled guilty May 23 to an amended charge of reckless driving in connection to the accident at South Ninth Avenue and West Alder Street in Walla Walla.
Originally charged with vehicular homicide, Mehlschau ran a red light while looking at his dash mounted GPS while driving a tractor-trailer. He hit Ramiro Trevino, 61, of Walla Walla, who was riding a three-wheeled bicycle. Trevino had a green light.
Trevino was transported by medics to Providence St. Mary Medical Center where he later succumbed to his injuries.
