A Fresno County judge has sentenced Ryan Mathew Wayne Trevino, 38, of Fresno, to 15 years to life in state prison for a drunk-driving crash that killed 78-year-old John Michael Tarter of Fresno on Millerton Road. Authorities say Trevino was driving a Chevrolet Silverado west on Millerton Road near Table Mountain Casino on January 13, 2024, when he allegedly crossed into oncoming lanes on a curve and struck Tarter’s Toyota Tundra head-on. Tarter was pronounced dead at the scene. Trevino had prior DUI convictions and had appeared in court on a separate pending DUI case just days before the fatal crash, after which he was released on his own recognizance.
According to GV Wire, toxicology testing showed Trevino’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.243% — roughly three times the legal limit — nearly two hours after the crash, and THC was also detected in his system. Prosecutors said cellphone records showed Trevino had recorded himself driving up to 95 mph in the rain on Highway 168 shortly before the collision. Trevino was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced by Fresno County Superior Court Judge Ryan Wells, who told him that “drinking and driving kills people every day,” according to ABC30 (KFSN-TV). ABC30 also reported that Trevino made several phone calls after the crash, including to his attorney and family members, but did not call 911 while Tarter was still alive.
