BELOIT, Wis. (WKOW) — A Rock County jury acquitted James Matlouck, 58, of charges related to the hit-and-run death of Leroy Helminiak on April 7.
Helminiak, 17, was struck while riding his orange motorcycle at the intersection of White Avenue and Riverside Drive on August 10, 2022, after reportedly running a red light. The GMC Jimmy that hit him had the right of way, according to Beloit Police.
Witnesses stated the driver fled the scene. Authorities arrested Matlouck in November, linking him to the incident through DNA evidence found near the SUV registered in his name. A beer can matching Matlouck's DNA was located a few feet from the vehicle.
Following the jury's decision, Helminiak's mother, Mary Davies, expressed frustration, stating that the lack of definitive evidence linking Matlouck to the driving of the vehicle led to the acquittal. “Nobody could see him behind the wheel,” she lamented.
Davies has been struggling to cope with her son's death and described the ongoing emotional turmoil as an “emotional roller coaster.”