Two years ago, a Caldwell motorcyclist died in a crash. A man was just arrested
Two years after a Caldwell collision left an Idaho motorcyclist dead — and prompted the installation of a new traffic signal — an involved driver has been arrested.
Johnny “Beau” Messer died in July 2023 after he struck a vehicle at the intersection of Ustick Road and Montana Avenue in Caldwell, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Idaho Statesman. The other driver, a 34-year-old Caldwell man, failed to yield the right of way to Messer, according to the Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office.
Just after 1:30 p.m. July 5, 2023, the man who has been arrested was driving a Subaru Impreza northbound on Montana Avenue while Messer was going westbound on Ustick Road, Idaho State Police Sgt. Nathan Madenford wrote in the affidavit. The man stopped at the intersection where he had a “clear line of sight” to Messer’s approaching motorcycle when he drove forward into the intersection, Madenford wrote.
There was a sign in the eastbound lane of Ustick Road indicating the road was closed, the affidavit said. The driver “stated he did not see or expect traffic to be coming from the east of the intersection,” Madenford wrote in the affidavit. “The road closure signs temporarily obstructed the view of the motorcycle as (the other vehicle) proceeded through the intersection.”
There were stop signs on Montana Avenue for drivers approaching Ustick. Since the collision, Caldwell added a traffic signal to the intersection. Messer was driving 56mph in a 35mph zone, the affidavit said.
The other driver was charged with misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in July 2024, according to a criminal complaint filed by the Prosecutor’s Office. He wasn’t arrested until this weekend, after the Boise Police Department cited him with a misdemeanor for failing to provide proof of vehicle insurance, and booked him into the Ada County Jail on an outstanding warrant for the vehicular manslaughter charge, online court and jail records showed.
It’s unclear why he wasn’t arrested until now. The Canyon County Prosecutor’s Office declined to comment, citing the active investigation. The man could face up to a $2,000 fine and one year in the Canyon County Jail, under state law. He also could be ordered by the 3rd Judicial District to pay child support to each of Messer’s children until they turn 18 years old
Messer’s family said the 44-year-old died doing what he loved: riding his “prized” Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle.
“He was a highly skilled chef with an unmatched passion for mayonnaise,” his family wrote in an obituary. “He had a wild sense of humor and could get a laugh from everyone he met.”
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhy we aren't naming all suspects
The Idaho Statesman doesn’t always name the suspect in crime stories. Our general practice, implemented in February 2022, is that we only name suspects when we are committed to following a case through the criminal justice system. That ensures that if charges are reduced or dismissed, or the person is acquitted, our reporting will reflect that. We made this decision as part of our Clean Slate project, which creates a pathway for people whose minor crimes were reported by us in the past to have those stories de-indexed so they don’t show up in Google searches. We also can always decide to name the suspect later if appropriate. Learn more about our Clean Slate project here.
Also of note, we generally don’t publish booking mugshots of arrestees. Those have been shown to have lasting effects on the people photographed and marginalized communities. Exceptions must be approved by a senior editor.
