Dayton Man Charged In Bicycle Fatality

WALLA WALLA - Dayton resident Melvin Bohleen, 73, is scheduled to appear in Walla Walla Superior Court Sept. 12 for charges relating to a vehicle-and-bicycle collision that killed a Seattle woman on May 21 on Middle Waitsburg Road.

Bohleen was charged Friday with vehicular homicide, a class A felony, that could carry a sentence of life in prison, a fine of $50,000 or both if he is found guilty.

Prosecuting Attorney James Nagle filed a report of an investigation by the sheriff's office and argues that Bohleen operated a motor vehicle that caused injuries to Sara Eustis, 61, of Seattle, who died as a result of the injuries.

Bohleen did not return calls from the Times.

Deputy Gerrod Martin completed the investigation of the fatality.

The report describes how Bohleen was traveling in his white, 2000 Jeep Cherokee southbound on Middle Waitsburg Road about 10:30 a.m. on May 21.

Bicyclists Eustis and Teresa Wolber were riding side by side, staggered on the road, also traveling southbound on the same road. Bohleen said he did not see the cyclists until they were right in front of him, "like they had come out of nowhere," according to the report. The vehicle struck Eustis on its front side passenger bumper.

According to a statement from Wolber, she and Eustis were talking and did not hear the approaching vehicle and the vehicle did not give any warning it was approaching. Wolber said next she saw Eustis "fly in the air and impact the ground," according to the report.

Bohleen stopped his vehicle and ran to the women. Wolber said she went to Eustis, who did not have a heartbeat and was not breathing. Wolber called 911 and administered CPR.

Authorities said Bohleen "was shaken by the events he had been through." Bohleen said he was driving about the speed limit of 50 mph.

Eustis was transported to St. Mary's Medical Center and pronounced dead.

Officers at the scene did not detect any kind of inebriation from drugs or alcohol from Bohleen and he volunteered to take a blood test. Bohleen did tell police that he had diabetes, macular degeneration and needed special permission to drive from his eye doctor, according to the report. Bohleen said he was wearing his glasses at the time. The skies were partly cloudy and the roadway was bare and dry, according to the report.

Eustis had been wearing black shorts and a turquoise sleeveless riding jersey with several vertical stripes.

An examination of the scene showed no pre-collision attempts by Bohleen to avoid hitting the cyclist. Scratches on the pavement showed Eustis' bicycle was dragged four feet during the collision and a foam piece similar to that on Eustis' helmet was stuck in the hood of the vehicle. Finally, plastic parts removed from Eustis' body during autopsy matched parts on the Jeep.