ELLSWORTH -- The Beldenville man responsible for a 2014 driving incident that took the life of his friend was sentenced Tuesday to six months in jail and four years on probation.
In addition, 20-year-old Connor Charles Johnson must cover more than $14,000 in funeral costs and speak at least twice a year to a group about how the experience affected him, Pepin County Circuit Court Judge James Duvall ordered during a sentencing hearing in Pierce County Court.
Johnson pleaded guilty to three crimes at the hearing: reckless driving causing great bodily injury, hit-and-run causing injury and OWI (second).
Johnson was charged in November 2014 in the Aug. 9, 2014, death of Nick Rhiel.
According to a criminal complaint, the two men had been drinking alcohol when Johnson retrieved his vehicle on Kruger Lane in Ellsworth and attempted to drive it away. He locked Rhiel out of the vehicle, but Rhiel climbed on the roof of the car and rode it as it drove off.
The complaint states Johnson steered the vehicle hard while driving 34-39 mph, creating a “critical speed yaw” that sent Rhiel onto the pavement. Johnson drove off while Rhiel laid on the street.
Rhiel died the next day of his injuries.
Duval slowly worked his way toward his sentence by first considering more than 50 letters, all of which he said painted Johnson as an otherwise model citizen. He then wondered aloud how the public might wish to see Johnson be made an example of
“Does it make it all right -- make Nick less dead -- because Connor’s a good guy?” Duval said.
Duval appeared openly conflicted while weighing terms of the plea agreement. He said he hoped for a sentence that reflected a balance between the importance of justice being served and a desire on the part of Rhiel’s family to not destroy another young man’s life.
Wincing while considering the reduced charge -- Johnson was first charged with homicide by vehicle -- Duval wondered aloud how sentence could be issued in a death case without a homicide-related charge.
“It’s not fair in a way,” he said.
Johnson, choking back tears, apologized to the Rhiel family during the hearing.
“Nick was a good friend of mine,” he said. “I did not try to hurt him.”
Johnson added later: “I will do whatever is asked of me today to prove myself. I am very sorry.”
Additional terms of the sentence require Johnson to abstain from alcohol for the duration of probation, keep full-time work or education and have his driving privileges suspended for 12 months.
See the June 3 print edition of the Pierce County Herald for more from the hearing
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