Kuna man was drunk when he killed a motorcyclist. He’ll spend up to 13 years in prison

A Kuna man could serve up to 13 years in prison after being convicted of vehicular manslaughter in a 2018 DUI crash that killed a motorcyclist.

On Wednesday, Judge George A. Southworth sentenced Joshawa J. Bechtel, 32, to a three-and-a-half-year fixed prison sentence followed by an eight-and-a-half-year indeterminate sentence. The court retained jurisdiction, meaning Bechtel could be released as soon as six months after completing a rider program.

On May 6, 2018, Bechtel was driving on Idaho Center Boulevard in the early morning when he turned left in front of an oncoming motorcycle driven by Zachary Spoolstra. Spoolstra suffered severe injuries at the scene and later died at a local hospital.

According to a news release from the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office, breathalyzer tests showed Bechtel’s blood alcohol content at the time of the crash was between .165 and .177 — more than twice the legal limit. Bechtel also had a prior conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol, and his car insurance was lapsed when the crash occurred.

“The defendant’s decision to drive drunk that night cost the Spoolstra family a son, a brother, and a friend,” said Canyon County Deputy Prosecutor Kimberlee Bratcher in the news release. “He chose to drive at more than twice the legal limit instead of calling a cab, and he killed someone. He belongs in prison to protect this community.”

The judge also suspended Bechtel’s driver’s license for five years and ordered him to pay more than $8,500 in restitution.

This story was originally published April 29, 2019 at 5:19 PM.