Murder charge filed in suspected drunk-driving crash near Friant that killed 78-year-old

The Fresno County District Attorney’s Office has filed a murder charge against the man its says is responsible for a fatal suspected DUI crash on Millerton Road in Friant on Saturday.

Investigators believe Ryan Mathew Wayne Trevino was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana when he drove his truck into oncoming traffic near Marina Drive, causing the wreck that ultimately killed 78-year-old John Tarter of Fresno.

Witnesses said Trevino’s truck was driving recklessly and crossed over a double solid yellow line before crashing into a vehicle driven by Tarter, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Trevino was scheduled to be arraigned Wednesday, the DA’s office said.

Along with murder, he was to be charged with one count of driving under the combined influence of alcohol and a drug causing great bodily harm to a person over 70, and one count of driving with a blood alcohol concentration over .08% causing great bodily harm to a person over 70. If convicted of all charges, Trevino could be sentenced 15 years to life in prison, according to the DA’s office.

These aren’t the first DUI charges to be filed against Trevino, the DA’s office said. The 35-year-old has two previous DUI convictions (in 2007 and 2019) and a third DUI charge pending for an incident in October.

This is one of several cases prosecuted by the Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driver Vertical Prosecution Program, with grant funding from the California Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

This story was originally published January 17, 2024 at 8:46 AM.