Man that Struck Clark County Highway Worker Sentenced in Clark County Court

Thursday, August 10th, 2023 -- 12:43 PM

The man that struck and killed a Clark County Highway worker entered a plea in Clark County Court.

On August 8th of 2021, at about 1:18 AM, the Clark County Sheriff’s Office received a 9-1-1 call of an accident on CTH G by Mann Road in the Township of Hendren. The initial investigation indicates that at about 12:00 AM, two Clark County Highway Workers were sent to a tree that was across CTH G by Mann Road.

They arrived there at about 1 AM and started to remove the tree. At about 1:18 AM, one of the workers, David Murphy, called 911 and said that a vehicle struck him. When deputies arrived on scene, they discovered that a vehicle was traveling south on CTH G and struck the workers and tree. Murphy was transported to the hospital where he was treated for his injuries. Russell Opelt died at the scene of the crash.

During his court appearance back in April, the operator of the vehicle, Cory Neumueller, was found guilty of, due to a no contest plea, homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle and injury by intoxicated use of a vehicle. Several other charges were dismissed and read in.

During the sentencing on Thursday, 11 family members of Russell Opelt spoke on his behalf. Family members present for Neumueller were advised not to speak on behalf of him by his lawyer, Harry Hertel, as Hertel advised that anything they said would come across as unsympathetic towards Russell’s family.

The prosecutor in the case, Tara Marie Jenswold, argued for a total of 10 years in prison and 8 years of extended supervision. Hertel argued for a lesser jail time and extended supervision, but did suggest an imposed and stayed sentence to keep Neumueller on the straight and narrow after he got out of prison with the threat of more jail time hanging over his head.

In the end, Judge Daniel Diehn followed the prosecutor’s suggestion and sentenced him to a total of 10 years in prison and 8 years of extended supervision. He also lost his license for 5 years and he must pay restitution.

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