Former Lewis County Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Vehicular Homicide; Accused of Hitting Pedestrian While Driving Intoxicated in August

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A former Lewis County Sheriff’s deputy accused of driving while intoxicated and hitting an elderly man, who later died due to the injuries sustained, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide last Tuesday in Lewis County Superior Court.

Alfonce F. Meuchel, 69, of Chehalis, pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide and hit and run-death on Nov. 3 while a third-degree assault charge was dismissed, per his plea agreement.

Meuchel had been a deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office “for years,” according to the prosecutor’s office, and retired in 2004.

Meuchel was accused of hitting Thomas G. Miller on Aug. 26 while he was walking on the crosswalk at the intersection of West Main Street and Northwest Chehalis Avenue that necessitated him being airlifted to Harborview Medical Center.

Miller later died on Sept. 13 “as a proximate result of said injury,” according to the charging information. 

According to the plea agreement, the Lewis County Prosecutor’s Office will recommend that a judge sentence Meuchel to 12 years and three months in prison as well as 18 months in community custody.

Meuchel’s sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 6, 2021 in Lewis County Superior Court.

The affidavit of probable cause gives the following account of the collision:

On Aug. 26 the Chehalis Police Department responded to a reported vehicle versus pedestrian collision near the Lewis County Law and Justice Center.

Upon arrival, officers were able to identify Meuchel because of their familiarity with him as a former deputy with the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office. 

Witnesses at the scene told police they saw the victim walking across the crosswalk using a mobility walker when he was struck by Meuchel’s vehicle.

Meuchel reportedly continued to drive after hitting the man, according to one witness, who told police he followed Meuchel around the block and forced him to come back to the scene.

When back at the scene, Meuchel agreed to do a voluntary field sobriety test where he failed on all six indicators of intoxication. Meuchel also agreed to submit a voluntary preliminary breath test which registered a .112 blood alcohol concentration. The legal BAC limit for drivers in Washington is .08.

Initially, Meuchel was charged with vehicular assault, rather than vehicular homicide due to Miller surviving the crash for a few weeks. However, the possibility of the charge getting bumped up to a vehicular homicide charge was known since Meuchel’s preliminary appearance.

“Frankly, it is anticipated that the victim will not survive,” county Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer said at Meuchel’s preliminary appearance in court on Aug. 27.

After Miller’s passing, Meuchel’s vehicular assault charge was then upgraded to vehicular homicide on Sept. 18.

Additionally, Meuchel will spend now until his January sentencing hearing out of custody. 

According to court filings, Meuchel was released on his own personal recognizance after his guilty plea.