Driver Receives 90-Day Jail Term In Fatal Accident Rivard Apologizes, Admits He Was Drunk When He Struck, Killed Young Skateboarder
A Spokane man received a 90-day jail sentence Friday after pleading guilty to vehicular homicide in the death of a young skateboarder in Peaceful Valley.
James Rivard, 27, apologized to relatives of victim James Mecsko before Superior Court Judge Kathleen O’Connor sentenced him.
Rivard acknowledged he was drunk while driving his Honda Accord at high speed on Dec. 1, 1993.
His car struck Mecsko, 20, causing massive head injuries.
Rivard was put on trial in 1994 but a Spokane jury could not reach a verdict. Before the trial, O’Connor had ruled that jurors could not hear results of Rivard’s blood-alcohol tests. She said he had not properly been informed of his right to refuse that test.
After the mistrial in 1994, prosecutors planned to retry Rivard, but they first appealed O’Connor’s blood test ruling. The state Supreme Court heard that appeal earlier this year and ruled that the test results were admissible.
But three years later, members of Rivard’s and Mecsko’s families wanted to end the matter without a trial, said Deputy Prosecutor Carol Davis.
O’Connor gave Rivard a first-offender sentence, allowing him to serve 90 days instead of the standard range of between 12 and 15 months for vehicular homicide with disregard for the safety of others.
He’ll spend 30 days at Geiger Corrections Center and the remainder of the sentence at home on electronic monitoring.
He loses his driver’s license for two years, has to go through alcohol treatment and must perform periodic community service over a two-year period after serving his sentence.
, DataTimes