Lahti sentenced in drunk driving homicide

By Tina L. Scott

Merrill Foto News Editor

MERRILL – At a Monday, July 8 sentencing hearing in Lincoln County court, John James Lahti, age 43, of Merrill, was sentenced to 15 years in prison, plus 10 years of extended supervision, in the Sept. 17, 2022 death of a Gleason boy and the injuries to his family members, sustained when Lahti was driving drunk and crossed the center line on Hwy. 17 north of Merrill, causing a head-on crash.

Lahti struck a vehicle occupied by a family of four, and the collision resulted in the death of eight-year-old Ian Skaar and serious injury to his mother, Leah Skaar, both of whom were passengers in the vehicle. Ian’s sister and his father, Tom Skaar, who was driving, also sustained minor injuries.

Lahti was treated for minor injuries at Aspirus Merrill Hospital, and then arrested. He has been held in the Lincoln County Jail on a $500,000.00 cash bond since.

The Complaint in the case said Lahti displayed many signs of being impaired by alcohol use, and a preliminary breath test taken approximately 30 minutes after the crash put him at .290 breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) at 7:55 p.m., more than three times the legal limit at the time of the crash. A second test registered .223 BrAC at 11:45 p.m. The legal limit in Wisconsin is .08 BrAC or blood alcohol content (BAC).

Law enforcement also found an open, half-full bottle of brandy in the vehicle.

Lahti was previously convicted of operating while intoxicated, first offense, on Feb. 24, 2004.

Lahti reached plea agreement

Originally charged with eight felony counts, including homicide by intoxicated use of vehicle (2nd+), OWI causei (2+), injury by intoxicated use/vehicle, homicide by use of vehicle w/ PAC (2nd+), PAC cause injury (2+), injury by use of vehicle with PAC, 2nd degree reckless homicide, and 2nd degree reckless injury, six of the counts were dismissed but read in as part of a plea agreement whereby Lahti pled no contest to the homicide by intoxicated use of vehicle (2nd+) and OWI cause injury (2+) charges.

The plea agreement saved court time and expense and spared the victims the ordeal of a trial in the matter.

The plea was entered during a Feb. 20, 2024, plea hearing before Judge Robert Russell, during which the Court accepted the pleas and found Lahti Guilty due to no contest plea on the two charges. Sentencing was then scheduled for July.

Sentencing details

Judge Russell imposed the 15 years in prison plus 10 years of extended supervision sentence on the charge of homicide by intoxicated use of vehicle (2nd+) and additionally imposed a sentence of one year in prison, plus one year of extended supervision, on the charge of OWI cause injury (2+).

he sentences will run concurrently, and, with credit for time already served, Lahti may be released from prison in 2037.

Lahti was also sentenced to an order of absolute sobriety, prohibited from being on any premises where the main purpose is for the sale of alcohol, prohibited from contact with the victim’s family except that he will write a letter of apology to the victims which must be pre-approved by the Court’s agent, alcohol and drug assessment and treatment, revocation of his driver’s license for five years and then restriction to operating vehicles equipped with an ignition interlock device for five years after that. Restitution was left to be determined.

During the sentencing hearing, a number of victims made statements for the court’s consideration, which the Court balanced with character references submitted by Lahti’s attorney on Lahti’s behalf and a pre-sentence investigation filed in the weeks prior to the hearing.

Skaar family responds

In response to the sentencing, Tom Skaar said it was extremely painful for his family to have to keep reliving the accident and Ian’s death.

“We are thankful that the sentencing hearing is done and we can continue to move forward as a family,” he said. “It was an incredibly difficult day for Leah, Julia and I. We feel fortunate to have a great support system in place to help us through this difficult time. Family, friends, community members, our employers and coworkers have shown us that people can come together and be very supportive. We hope this case highlights how dangerous drinking and driving impaired is, and deters others from making similar decisions.”