A motorist from Yacolt was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison for seriously injuring a pedestrian on March 13 and driving away without calling for paramedics.
James D. Schellhas, 28, pleaded guilty in Clark County Superior Court to hit-and-run injury and vehicular assault.
Cody T. Robinson, 20, was walking to work at about 5:30 a.m. when Schellhas drove through a red light at the intersection of Andresen Road and Fourth Plain Boulevard and struck Robinson while Robinson was in the crosswalk.
Robinson’s grandmother, Irma Swatsley, said another motorist stopped to help Robinson and may have prevented further tragedy.
“Even dogs and cats are taken to the side of the road when they’re hit,” Swatsley said. “He did not get that (from Schellhas).”
Robinson continues to require medical care and physical therapy and might need care for the rest of his life, his family members said.
After the crash, Schellhas drove to a nearby McDonald’s restaurant at 2814 N.E. Andresen Road and discarded his coat in a trash bin in the men’s bathroom, said Senior Deputy Prosecutor Kasey Vu. He left his 2004 white Chevrolet Suburban in the restaurant’s parking lot and then called his wife to ask her to report the vehicle stolen.
During an interview with police, Schellhas initially denied involvement in the collision before confessing, according to court records. He told police that he had a green light at the time of the collision and the “dude came out of nowhere wearing dark clothing,” according to the court records.
“I just want to say sorry to the victim’s family and my family for what’s happened, and I hope they forgive me,” Schellhas said Wednesday. “It was an accident.”
Schellhas’s attorney, Jeff Barrar, said Wednesday that Schellhad turned around his life after committing several crimes in Spokane County. He married a woman with two children, had two more children with her and became the family’s breadwinner.
When the collision happened, Barrar said, Schellhas was fearful of having to return to prison and wanted to see his kids before he was arrested. There was no evidence that Schellhas was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the collision, Vu said. Like Robinson, Schellhas was on his way to work, Barrar said.
“We are all losers in this game,” Swatsley said. “He (Schellhas) is going to be away from his family, his children.”
In addition to five years in prison — the mandatory minimum due to Schellhas’ extensive criminal history — Judge David Gregerson suspended his license for a year after his release. He’ll also be required to serve 18 months of probation and pay restitution of an amount to be determined. The amount will be related to Robinson’s medical and physical therapy bills.
Schellhas has been in Clark County Jail in lieu of $200,000 bail since his March 13 arrest.
