Indigenous Peoples and Human Rights

April 17, 2023

Nevada Prosecutor Releases Amended Charge for Driver Killing Myron Dewey -- Has No Record of Plea Agreement

Myron Dewey photo by Matika Wilbur Project 562

Nevada District Attorney Releases Amended Charge for Driver Killing Myron Dewey -- Has No Record of Plea Agreement

By Brenda Norrell
Censored News
April 17, 2023
Breaking News

PAHRUMP, Nevada -- The Nye County District Attorney's Office released today the amended charge for John Walsh, the driver who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter in the death of Paiute journalist Myron Dewey.

Responding to a request from Censored News, the Nye County prosecutor's office provided the amended charge but said it has no record of Walsh's plea agreement. Walsh's plea of guilty to vehicular manslaughter was made by his attorney in court last Tuesday.

The court session was available on Zoom and reported by Censored News. A sentencing date was set for June 6, 2023.

The Nye County District Attorney's Office said it has no record of the plea agreement. In a response to Censored News just now, the court said:

"This office does not have any document responsive to your request (plea agreement.) The name and address of the governmental entity that may have custody or control of the record is unknown."

(Front) John Walsh's attorney, criminal defense attorney Thomas Viloria of Reno, told the court the plea agreement was finished. John Walsh is shown in the background. Photo Censored News via Zoom.

The amended criminal complaint, filed in Tonopah Justice Court, reveals that Walsh has again changed his story regarding the reason for the head-on collision. Initially, Walsh said dust from another vehicle, going the opposite direction, had blocked his view and he pulled into the other lane.

The amended complaint, however, says he pulled into the other lane to pass a vehicle.

The surprise plea agreement came after a new district attorney was assigned to prosecute the case, and the case was moved to Pahrump from Tonepah. The amended charge was signed on Monday, April 10, 2023.

Tonopah Judge Jennifer Klapper heard the plea announced by John Walsh's attorney
in court on Tuesday. Photo Censored News via Zoom.

In court last Tuesday, Walsh's attorney said Walsh pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter, and a second charge would be dismissed. Vehicular manslaughter is generally prosecuted as a misdemeanor in Nevada. The potential sentencing includes up to 6 months in jail, fines of up to $1,000.00, and a one-year driver's license suspension.

John Walsh of Reno was initially charged with both driving under the influence resulting in death, and reckless driving resulting in death. The Nye County District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Walsh nine months after Myron was killed.

Walsh’s blood tests showed levels of cannabinoids. However, no charges were filed until Myron's daughter Taylor Dewey persisted in her efforts for charges to be filed.

The Nye County Sheriff's report states a blood test was to be carried out by the  Nevada Highway Patrol, at Renown Hospital in Reno after Walsh was airlifted there after the collision. The accident reports were obtained by Censored News.

The Nye County Sheriff's Office accident report was filed by Deputy RJ Ramirez and states:

Myron was killed when he was struck head-on on an isolated dirt road near his family's home near Yomba, Nevada, on Sept. 26, 2021. The day before, Myron live-streamed from the Navy Seals Bombing Range in Fallon, opposing its expansion. The expansion was pushed by the Nevada Congressional delegation and signed into law in December in the military's Defense Spending Bill.

Myron also was battling the lithium mine on the Paiute Massacre Site at Thacker Pass, which is promoted by President Biden as 'green energy' for electric car batteries. Myron was providing supplies for those resisting the lithium mine at the time of his death. The destruction from the Canadian mining company Lithium Americas is now underway at Thacker Pass, as drone videos reveal the company is now digging into the earth.

Myron provided coverage of the water protectors' resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock in North Dakota, 2016 -- 2017. Myron was known around the world for his news updates, drone video reports, and live reports documenting the private security hired by Dakota Access Pipeline.

Below is the amended charge for John Walsh:



The amended complaint states:

VEHICULAR MANSLAUGHTER, in violation of NCC 1.01.175 ref. NRS 484B.657, 484B.213, A MISDEMEANOR, committed in the following manner, to wit: That ON OR ABOUT SEPTEMBER 26, 2021, in Nye County, Nevada, said defendant did willfully and unlawfully drive a vehicle and proximately cause the death of another person through an act or omission that constituted simple negligence, to wit: said defendant drove a gray Toyota Tacoma northbound on lone Road (County Road 21), approximately 6 miles north of the Yomba Shoshone Tribal Office, and drove upon the left half of the highway to pass another vehicle, when the left side was not clearly visible and free of oncoming traffic for a sufficient distance ahead to permit such overtaking and passing to be completely made without interfering with the safe operation of any vehicle approaching from the opposite direction, crashing into the Toyota Highlander being driven in the opposite direction by MYRON C. DEWEY, said MYRON C. DEWEY dying in the crash;


Censored News received this e-mail response to our request for a copy of the plea agreement:

Pursuant to Nevada Revised Statutes, 239.0107(1), this response is given to you not later than the end of the fifth business day after the date this office received your email dated April 12, 2023. You requested a “copy of the plea agreement by John Walsh, in the case of the vehicular death of Myron Dewey.”

Pursuant to NRS 239.0107(1)(b), this office does not have any document responsive to your request (plea agreement) The name and address of the governmental entity that may have custody or control of the record is unknown.

I have attached a copy of an amended criminal complaint that was filed with the court on April 10, 2023.

Chief Deputy District Attorney - Civil
Nye County District Attorney's Office
1520 E. Basin Ave. Suite 107
Pahrump, Nevada 89060



Copyright Censored News. Content may not be used without written permission.

No comments: