Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
WEST JORDAN — A driver accused of hitting and killing a 13-year-old bicyclist minutes after leaving a bar has pleaded guilty to two charges in the case against him.
Mason Andrew Ohms, 50, of Saratoga Springs, pleaded guilty Monday to automobile homicide, a second-degree felony, and failure to remain at an accident involving death, a third-degree felony.
In exchange for his pleas, prosecutors dropped a charge of obstructing justice, a third-degree felony, and an infraction of failure to yield.
His sentencing is set for Jan. 23, 2023.
On April 26, about 6 p.m., Ohms was driving a Chevy Silverado when he hit Eli Mitchell, 13, of West Jordan, who was on his bicycle in a crosswalk at 1510 W. 9000 South, according to charging documents.
Eli, a student at West Jordan Middle School, was riding home from the grocery store, when Ohms — who was waiting at a red light to make a right turn — "accelerated hard into his right turn, hitting (Eli) just as he entered the crosswalk," the charges state.
Both the front and back tires of the truck went over Eli, according to the charges. Police said Ohms continued to drive away with the bike wedged under his vehicle. He never hit his brakes after hitting Eli, police said, and then did a U-turn in the street and drove past others who were administering help to to the boy, and kept driving.
Ohms drove to the parking lot of a nearby business, got out and pulled the bicycle out from under his truck before driving off again, according to the charges.
Witnesses who followed the truck provided police with cellphone video and photos of the vehicle, including its license plate. Using that information, police went to Ohms' home in Saratoga Springs, where he was taken into custody about 2½ hours after the crash.
Detectives retracing Ohms' steps learned that he had entered a nearby bar at 12:44 p.m. and wasn't seen leaving until two minutes before the crash, the charges state. Police also learned that Ohms consumed seven 20-ounce beers during that time, ordering his last one at 5:18 p.m., according to charging documents.
Ohms has had a number of DUI or alcohol-related convictions dating back to 1996, according to court records. He was convicted of DUI in 1996, twice in 1997 and 2003. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail and three years of probation following his 2003 conviction. He was convicted of violating alcohol restrictions while driving in 2010, and simple assault and impersonating a police officer in 2006.
