RIVERTON, WY — A 33-year-old Lander man is facing homicide-related charges after a Wednesday evening crash in Riverton killed two people on Federal Boulevard. Prosecutors say Micheal Odom was driving a truck at more than 75 mph in a 30 mph zone when it struck a Jeep in the city’s busiest commercial corridor.
Odom appeared Friday in Lander Circuit Court for his initial hearing. Judge Jefferson Coombs set bond at $1 million cash-only, far below the $5 million cash-only request from prosecutors.
How The Crash Unfolded
According to an evidentiary affidavit, witnesses said the Jeep was traveling west on Webbwood Road and entered the intersection as Odom ran a red light and hit it. The crash left the pickup on its side in the roadway and the Jeep mangled nearby in front of Walmart.
Taylee Dresser was declared dead at the scene. Gregory Trosper, the Jeep’s passenger, was taken to SageWest Health Care after responders noticed signs of life, but he was later pronounced dead that night from internal bleeding.
Police Describe Odom's Statements
Investigators said Odom was pulled from the pickup while bleeding and appeared agitated, worried aloud that he was going to jail. The affidavit says he fled the scene, ran into a nearby parking lot and was apprehended there.
At the hospital and later at the police department, the document says Odom admitted he had been drinking. Officers recorded a breath-alcohol concentration of 0.134% after he was cleared for treatment, and the affidavit also says he told police he had consumed two Four Loko drinks around 7 p.m.
Charges Carry Heavy Penalties
Coombs read charges that include two alternative aggravated homicide by vehicle counts for each death, one tied to alleged intoxication and one tied to reckless driving. Each death could carry up to 20 years in prison if a jury returns a conviction on one of the alternate theories.
Odom is also charged with an enhanced DUI misdemeanor, interfering with police and reckless driving. Prosecutors said the new filing is his third DUI charge in five years, and they noted prior probation and parole cases tied to earlier convictions in Campbell and Natrona counties.
Next Court Date Is Set
During the hearing, Odom apologized and said he had been fighting addiction for much of his life. Coombs reminded him he did not have to incriminate himself before Odom spoke briefly about the crash.
His preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 29 in Lander Circuit Court, where the state will have to show probable cause to keep the case moving forward.
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