The man who fatally struck an Army soldier stationed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord in a vehicle collision on Interstate 5, then carjacked another vehicle to flee, was sentenced Monday to three years, 10 months in prison.
Ryan Edward Grems, 38, pleaded guilty in July to failure to remain at an accident resulting in death and theft of a motor vehicle for the March 30, 2024 hit-and-run that killed 39-year-old Lance Melder.
Grems skipped a sentencing hearing last month, angering Melder’s grieving family members and prompting a bench warrant to be issued for his arrest. Pierce County Superior Court Judge Shelly K. Moss imposed Grems’ punishment Monday morning, giving him a sentence at the low end of the standard sentencing range…