Garret Kuntz/Barnes County Jail
VALLEY CITY, N.D. (KFGO News Dakota) – Southeast Judicial District Court Judge Nick Thornton set bail at $30,000 cash or $50,000 cash surety bond for Garret Kuntz during his initial appearance in Valley City on Thursday.
The 22-year-old Kuntz, of Mandan, is accused of striking a pedestrian along Interstate 94 west of Valley City during the early morning hours of December 21. His body was found in the ditch later that day.
Kuntz is charged with manslaughter and duty in accident involving death or personal injury. Both charges are Class B felonies. Duty in an accident involving death refers to the legal obligations a driver must fulfill immediately following a collision that results in a fatality.
The investigation, headed by the North Dakota Highway Patrol, identified Kuntz as the driver of a pickup that struck and killed 27-year-old Jerson Mejia of Honduras. An anonymous tip led to Kuntz as the driver.
The patrol had earlier asked for the public’s help in finding a vehicle with damage to the front bumper and passenger-side front fender. The patrol also found a piece of damaged bug shield in the ditch near Mejia’s body.
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