A jury convicted a Campo man Oct. 30 of two counts of second-degree murder and gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated in the deaths of his passengers on Buckman Springs Road.
Ryan Gary Renz, 26, was found guilty of all charges in the Jan. 25, 2017 deaths of his cousin, Johnny Ray Meyer, Jr., 23, and Dillon Cody Wiltfong, 26, both of whom also lived in Campo.
The jury deliberated 4-5 hours before arriving at “a just verdict,” said Deputy District Attorney Laura Evans.
El Cajon Superior Court Judge Jeff Fraser set sentencing for Dec. 20. Renz remains in jail.
Evans said Renz faces a likely sentence of 30 years to life in prison. She said Renz was driving approximately 90 mph in Campo when he didn’t negotiate a curve and struck an oak tree.
Renz was driving Wiltfong’s vehicle which rolled over several times. One person was thrown from the vehicle, which caught on fire around 6:45 p.m.
Evans said Renz knew the dangers of drinking and driving but “just didn’t care.” Evans said Renz was convicted of DUI in 2015, and he signed a page acknowledging that if he drove again while intoxicated and someone died, he could be charged with murder.
“Both died…because of his choice to drink and drive,” said Evans.
Renz had been placed on probation for the DUI and his driver’s license had been suspended for the offense, said Evans.
His attorney, Audrey Kyu, asked jurors to acquit Renz of murder, but conceded his guilt for vehicular manslaughter. She called the incident “a terrible tragedy,” but his actions didn’t rise to the level of murder charges.
Kyu said Renz and the victims were all drinking together that day and “Ryan drew the short straw” to drive the people home.
Opening statements and testimony began Oct. 17.
