A McDonald County jury convicted Oren Rinehart, 62, November 23 following a two-day trial. Rinehart ran over Matthew Stevens, 19, Neosho (pictured) on September 12, 2014, but did not come forward for two weeks. He claimed he thought he had hit a deer.
When Rinehart came forward, he met with police at the office of his lawyer, Charles Rhoades.
"Based on this interview," according to a Neosho Police Department news release, "Neosho Police have seized a 2001 Ford Escape with extensive front end damage believed to be the vehicle involved in the accident."
The crime was detailed in an earlier Police Department news release:
At 1:13 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 12, Neosho officers were dispatched to the area of Highway 59 and Malcom Mosby Drive in reference to a male lying in the middle of the highway. When officers arrived they located a Matthew Brooks Stevens (pictured), age 19, lying in the roadway, and he appeared to have been struck by a vehicle. The suspect vehicle had fled the scene. Paramedics arrived on scene and confirmed Mr. Stevens was dead on arrival.
On September 14 an autopsy was performed on Mr. Stevens at Cox South in Springfield, MO. Results indicated Mr. Stevens had obtained injuries resulting from being hit by a vehicle from behind.
Rinehart is free after posting a $10,000 appeal bond- $9,000 surety and $1,000 cash.
9 comments:
What a travesty of justice. To kill someone and flee the scene, then hide the evidence for nearly a month. That sounds like malice of forethought to me. 100 years would not be enough for justice to be served in this crime!
He did not,"run over Matthew Stevens," as stated in article. He has been portrayed as a monster already. There is no need to continue to run him further into the ground!!
The guy could barely walk as he left the bar. Odds are, he probably did think he hit a deer. Regardless, he was so wasted that he could not have helped the guy if he had stopped.
This is a joke! Three years? Three years is not enough!
Yep good old boy county thats how it go's every one on the council is in a drug dealers pocket
He did not hide the evidence for nearly a month. He never hid anything! The truck sat in his driveway for all the world to see. If he wanted "to hide" anything, he could have easily had the car repaired or even gotten rid of it in that time. The article states that it was 2 weeks before he had gone to his attorney stating he had hit a deer. He did not have any idea as to what he had hit was actually human!
..."barely walk as he left the bar." Wow! Where were you with that statement when the police were asking anyone who may have info as to the whereabouts of Mr Rhinehart prior to this accident? No such info had been provided but you feel you can talk with such regard now, behind your anonymous statement! The idea of any alcohol consumption wasn't even allowed in court, as there was not one ounce of proof he had actually even had a drink that night!!
Mr. Rinehart is not a drug dealer! The 3 year sentence was actually suggested by the jury. With that comment, I'd choose to stay anonymous as well!
He kept it in the garage and he stated that he knew it wasn't a deerm
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