GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Barry Watters was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison for the hit and run crash which killed a bicyclist.
He was also placed on extended supervision for five in connection with the March 25, 2018, death of Russel Owen.
Watters previously pleaded no contest to three counts, hit and run involving death, operating with a restricted controlled substance, and marijuana possession.
Watters said in court Monday…. “Nothing is going to bring him back, but I got to live with it, and so do you guys…and it tore the family apart. It’s about to tear mine apart too. I wish it never happened.”
According to the criminal complaint:
A witness driving on Walnut Avenue on March 25, 2018, stopped to turn north and saw the bicyclist get hit from behind by a white SUV. The bicyclist went onto the hood of the vehicle, and then the SUV ran over the bicyclist’s legs. Two people got out of the car, looked at the bicyclist, then got back in the car and drove off. Police spotted the suspect SUV and tried to pull it over, but the vehicle took off. Eventually, the vehicle stopped.
The crash happened at the corner of Oakland and Walnut Street around 12:37 p.m. The Green Bay Police Department says it found the vehicle on Velp Ave. and tried to pull the driver over. After a short pursuit, Watters gave himself up to police. Watters refused to do field sobriety tests at the scene but later took one at the police station.
The passenger, Ramon Novoa, later told police “a male on a bike was riding westbound on the sidewalk on the north side of the road and came out of nowhere.” Novoa admitted “he had two phones with him but didn’t make an attempt to call 911 because he didn’t know what to do,” the complaint states.
Novoa said Watters had smoked marijuana earlier prior to the crash. An officer also said Watters smelled of marijuana. A blood sample was taken from Watters but results are not contained in the complaint. In Wisconsin, any detectable amount of marijuana can lead to a criminal charge, regardless of if the driver was under the influence of the drug.
Owen died a few days later, after suffering a severe brain injury.
Owen’s family did not speak in court on Monday. Watters is also ordered to pay nearly $3,000 in restitution to the family.
