Special Prosecutor Being Brought In To Handle Fatal Snow Plow Collision Case

Prosecution from outside of Sheridan County will be brought in to investigate a fatal situation involving a snowplow driver earlier this year.

The Sheridan County Commissioners have appointed Marcia Bean who is the prosecuting attorney in Big Horn County, Wyoming, to look into the case that happened in February, when a county snow plow driver, collided the plow he was operating with another vehicle at the intersection of Wyoming State Highway 335 and Knode Road.

That intersection is about 2 miles northeast from the town of Big Horn.

The driver of the plow has been identified as Carl E. Schleichardt.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol says 29-year old Zachary Nicholson of Colorado Springs, Colorado, who was a passenger in the other vehicle, died at Sheridan County Memorial Hospital from injuries he sustained in the collision.

Sheridan County Attorney Clint Beaver explains why a different prosecutor will handle the case.

“There’s some potential criminal charges associated with that, but our office would have a conflict of interest, because we represent the county, so standard procedure in this case is that we have the review of the law enforcement investigation to another county attorney.”

Nicholson was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the collision.