Justice For Sterling

On July 2, 2026, at approximately 8:00 pm, 15-year-old Sterling Wolfgang Thomas was riding his friend's e-bike through his own neighborhood in Boise, Idaho. Sterling was taking his friend home, with her riding on the back, when he traveled along Morris Hill Road and began making a left turn onto Philippi Street.

As Sterling made the turn, he was struck by a speeding motorcyclist, later identified as Gavin Schmid, who was traveling approximately 83 miles per hour in a posted 25-mile-per-hour zone.

The collision was captured on a nearby Ring security camera, providing video footage of the crash. The impact violently threw both teenagers from the bike. Sterling was propelled approximately 40 feet from the point of impact, suffering catastrophic blunt-force injuries. First responders and paramedics arrived and immediately attempted life-saving measures, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Sterling died at the scene.

What the Investigation Revealed

As investigators examined the circumstances surrounding the collision, Sterling's mother, Kristin, began looking into the driver responsible for her son's death. What she uncovered raised serious questions about how someone with a history of dangerous driving continued to operate a motorcycle on public roads.

Detectives informed Kristin that Gavin Schmid was intoxicated, did not have a motorcycle endorsement, and reportedly did not carry insurance.

Further research revealed a documented history of dangerous driving and prior criminal offenses, including multiple reckless driving charges, a driving under the influence (DUI) offense, endangering others, and battery on a law enforcement officer.

Most concerning, Schmid was reportedly on probation at the time of the collision. His most recent known reckless driving incident occurred less than two months before Sterling's death, on May 9, 2026, in Boise County, when he was reportedly clocked traveling 109 miles per hour in a 45-mile-per-hour zone. He was on probation at the time, riding the same motorcycle that killed her son, and was issued a ticket for driving without a motorcycle endorsement. Even though he was recklessly driving and not authorized to operate a motorcycle, the deputy allowed him to continue on his way.

The Decision Not to Charge Vehicular Manslaughter

Despite Sterling's death, the reported speed of the motorcycle,the official traffic collision report stating that Gavin was at fault, and the circumstances surrounding the collision, the Ada County Prosecutor's Office decided not to pursue felony vehicular manslaughter charges.

Instead, Schmid is being charged with felony reckless driving.

When Kristin sought an explanation from the prosecutor's office, she was told that reckless driving would be easier to prove than vehicular manslaughter. The conversation left her with more questions than answers. While she was attempting to understand the decision and advocate for her son, the deputy prosecutor ended the meeting and walked out while she was still speaking.

For Sterling's family, this is about more than the charge selected in one criminal case. It is about whether the circumstances of his death are being fully recognized, whether prior opportunities to hold a dangerous driver accountable were missed, and whether the justice system is adequately protecting the people it is meant to serve.

Why We Are Seeking Justice

Sterling was 15 years old. He was in his own neighborhood, taking a friend home, when his life was taken by a driver traveling more than three times the posted speed limit.

He should be here.

His family is asking the community to stand with them in demanding accountability, transparency, and meaningful answers from the agencies and officials involved.

We are also seeking broader changes to help prevent another family from experiencing what ours has endured.

Justice for Sterling means accountability—not just for the driver, but for a system that must answer for how this happened and what can be done to prevent it from happening again.

Gavin Schmid's Timeline

May 31, 2021–March 28, 2023: Gavin Taylor Schmid was charged in Benton County, Oregon, with driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, and harassment under State of Oregon v. Gavin Taylor Schmid, No. 21CR47031 (Benton Cnty. Cir. Ct. 2021). On March 8, 2022, he entered guilty pleas to driving under the influence of intoxicants and harassment. The court dismissed the reckless driving and endangerment counts, sentenced him on the harassment conviction, and placed the DUII charge into a 12-month diversion program. Between November 2022 and April 2023, the court received repeated notices of ignition-interlock noncompliance, including multiple alcohol-related violations, high blood-alcohol readings, missed rolling retests, and a lockout following a missed recalibration. Upon completion of treatment and community service, the DUII charge was dismissed by court order on March 28, 2023.
August 22, 2023–September 18, 2023: Schmid received an Ada County infraction citation for following too closely under Idaho Code § 49-638(2) in State of Idaho v. Gavin Schmid, No. CR01-23-26130 (Ada Cnty. Magis. Ct. 2023). A default judgment was entered on September 18, 2023, and the matter closed following a tax intercept payment in February 2026.
August 11, 2024–January 10, 2025: Schmid was arrested and charged in Ada County with misdemeanor battery on a peace officer under Idaho Code § 18-915(3) and malicious injury to property under Idaho Code § 18-7001(1) in State of Idaho v. Gavin Taylor Schmid, No. CR01-24-27137 (Ada Cnty. Magis. Ct. 2024). On January 10, 2025, Schmid entered guilty pleas to both counts pursuant to a plea agreement.
January 10, 2025 (Sentencing Orders):
- Count 1 (Battery on a Peace Officer): The court imposed a 365-day jail sentence, suspending 355 days with 3 days credit for time served, and placed Schmid on supervised probation for a two-year term (January 10, 2025 – January 10, 2027). The sentencing order prohibited moving for early termination, but permitted Schmid to move to convert supervision to unsupervised probation after one year if treatment was completed and the probation officer approved.Conditions of the Supervised Misdemeanor Probation Order included obeying all laws, notifying the probation officer within 24 hours or one business day of any law-enforcement contact (including citations, arrests, or investigations), submitting monthly reports, abstaining from alcohol and unauthorized controlled substances, completing alcohol evaluation and a thinking-errors class, paying a monthly supervision fee up to $75, and submitting to a Fourth Amendment search waiver.
- Count 2 (Malicious Injury to Property): The court imposed a consecutive 365-day suspended jail sentence and placed Schmid on unsupervised probation for a two-year term (January 11, 2027 – January 10, 2029), conditioned on obeying all laws and notifying the court of any address changes.
September 2025: Schmid reportedly received a Gooding County traffic citation for traveling 42 mph in a posted 25-mph zone while serving the active supervised probation period.
February 26, 2026–March 10, 2026 (Probation Modification):
- On February 26, 2026, Schmid filed a Motion to Modify Terms of Probation pursuant to the one-year review provision.
- On March 5, 2026, a Non-Opposition to the Motion to Convert Supervised Probation to Unsupervised Probation was filed.
- On March 10, 2026, the court entered an Amended Misdemeanor Sentence closing the supervised probation term on Count 1 effective March 10, 2026, and ordering unsupervised probation for the remaining balance of the term (March 10, 2026 – January 10, 2027), requiring Schmid to obey all laws and notify the court of address changes.
May 9, 2026: Officer Jake Nye of the Boise County Sheriff's Office stopped Schmid on Highway 21 near milepost 35 while Schmid was operating a black 2023 CF Moto motorcycle. Stationary radar measured Schmid traveling 109 mph in a posted 45-mph zone along a curved roadway with limited visibility and moderate traffic.Schmid possessed a valid driver's license but lacked a motorcycle endorsement. Officer Nye issued a misdemeanor summons for reckless driving under Idaho Code § 49-1401(1) and an infraction citation for failure to obtain a motorcycle endorsement under Idaho Code § 49-304(5), releasing Schmid from the scene.
May 11, 2026–May 15, 2026: In State of Idaho v. Gavin Schmid, No. CR08-26-00603 (Boise Cnty. Magis. Ct. 2026), the court filed the endorsement charge on May 11, 2026. On May 15, 2026, Schmid pleaded guilty to operating the motorcycle without an endorsement and paid the associated fine.
May 12, 2026–June 22, 2026: In State of Idaho v. Gavin T. Schmid, No. CR08-26-00607 (Boise Cnty. Magis. Ct. 2026), the court filed the reckless-driving charge on May 12, 2026. Schmid appeared with retained counsel on June 22, 2026, entered a plea of not guilty, and requested a jury trial, which the court scheduled for October 13, 2026.
July 2026: While remaining subject to active unsupervised probation requiring obedience to all laws, Schmid operated the same black 2023 CF Moto motorcycle without a motorcycle endorsement and collided with the decedent in a posted 25-mph neighborhood residential zone while traveling at an estimated speed of 83 mph under the influence of alcohol, resulting in the fatal collision.

Chronological Timeline
May 31, 2021: Schmid was charged in Benton County, Oregon, with driving under the influence of intoxicants, reckless driving, recklessly endangering another person, and harassment.
September 27, 2021: The Oregon case was filed as State of Oregon v. Gavin Taylor Schmid, Case No. 21CR47031.
January 18, 2022: Schmid initially entered not-guilty pleas to all four Oregon charges.
March 8, 2022: Schmid pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of intoxicants and harassment.
March 8, 2022: The Oregon court dismissed the reckless-driving and recklessly-endangering charges and placed the DUII charge into diversion for twelve months.
March 18, 2022: An ignition-interlock device was installed as a condition of the diversion program.
April 11, 2022: Schmid signed an acknowledgment of the ignition-interlock requirements.
October 9 and October 29, 2022: The Oregon court received notices reporting alcohol-related ignition-interlock violations.
November 3, 2022: Another notice reported alcohol-related ignition-interlock violations.
November 7, 2022: The Oregon court received notices concerning the reported ignition-interlock violations.
November 23, 2022: A notice reported a high blood-alcohol reading and a missed rolling retest.
November 25, 2022: A notice reported another high blood-alcohol reading, a missed rolling retest, and a failed rolling retest.
December 19, 2022: The ignition-interlock records later identified three additional blood-alcohol violations occurring on this date.
January 31, 2023: The Oregon court received notices reporting four high blood-alcohol readings and the December 19 violations.
February 27, 2023: Schmid completed the required victim-impact panel.
March 7, 2023: Schmid completed forty hours of community service and completed treatment at Restoring Hope.
March 8, 2023: The twelve-month DUII diversion period reached its estimated completion date.
March 28, 2023: The Oregon court entered an amended disposition dismissing the DUII charge after completion of diversion. The harassment conviction remained.
April 7, 2023: A notice reported that Schmid missed an ignition-interlock recalibration, resulting in a lockout.
August 22, 2023: Schmid received an Ada County citation for following too closely.
August 25, 2023: The Ada County citation was filed as State of Idaho v. Gavin Schmid, Case No. CR01-23-26130.
September 14, 2023: The Ada County court entered the disposition for the following-too-closely citation.
September 18, 2023: The Ada County matter was closed following a default judgment.
August 11, 2024: Schmid was charged in Ada County with misdemeanor battery on a peace officer and malicious injury to property. Officers were responding to a domestic abuse call, reports state Gavin was choking his girlfriend.
August 12, 2024: The Ada County criminal case was filed as State of Idaho v. Gavin Taylor Schmid, Case No. CR01-24-27137.
August 13, 2024: A $10,000 surety bond was posted in the Ada County case, and the bond was subject to supervised pretrial release.
October 4, 2024: A preliminary hearing was held in the Ada County case.
January 10, 2025: Schmid pleaded guilty to battery on a peace officer and malicious injury to property pursuant to a plea agreement.
January 10, 2025: For the battery conviction, the court imposed a 365-day jail sentence, suspended 355 days, credited three days for time served, and ordered two years of supervised probation from January 10, 2025, through January 10, 2027.
January 10, 2025: The sentencing order allowed Schmid to request conversion to unsupervised probation after one year if treatment had been completed and the probation officer approved. The order did not authorize early termination of probation.
January 10, 2025: The supervised-probation conditions required Schmid to obey all laws, comply with lawful probation-officer directions, report law-enforcement contact within twenty-four hours or one business day, report monthly unless directed otherwise, comply with alcohol-related treatment and testing requirements, and follow additional probation instructions.
January 10, 2025: For the malicious-injury conviction, the court imposed a consecutive 365-day suspended jail sentence and ordered two years of unsupervised probation beginning January 11, 2027, and ending January 10, 2029.
September 2025: Schmid reportedly received a Gooding County speeding citation alleging that he traveled 42 miles per hour in a posted 25-mile-per-hour zone. The specific court record and disposition of that citation are not included in the attached materials.
February 26, 2026: Schmid filed a motion to modify the terms of probation.
March 5, 2026: A non-opposition to converting supervised probation to unsupervised probation was filed.
March 10, 2026: The Ada County court amended the sentence. Supervised probation on the battery conviction ended on that date, and the remaining portion of the two-year term continued as unsupervised probation through January 10, 2027.
March 10, 2026: The amended order retained the requirements that Schmid obey all laws and notify the court of changes of address.
May 9, 2026, approximately 4:20 p.m.: Boise County Officer Jake Nye observed Schmid riding southbound on Highway 21 near Gardener Lane.
May 9, 2026: Officer Nye’s stationary radar displayed a speed of 109 miles per hour in a posted 45-mile-per-hour zone.
May 9, 2026: Officer Nye described the roadway as having a gradual curve, limited visibility, several intersections, moderate traffic, and vehicles traveling in both directions.
May 9, 2026: Officer Nye stopped Schmid near milepost 35 while Schmid was operating a black 2023 CF Moto motorcycle
May 9, 2026: Schmid was identified by his Idaho driver’s license. Officer Nye reported that Schmid possessed a valid driver’s license but did not have a motorcycle endorsement.
May 9, 2026: Officer Nye issued Schmid a summons for reckless driving and an infraction citation for operating a motorcycle without the required endorsement.
May 9, 2026: Schmid was released from the scene without further incident. The report does not state that Officer Nye asked Schmid for proof of insurance or notified Ada County probation.
May 11, 2026: The Boise County endorsement case was filed as State of Idaho v. Gavin Schmid, Case No. CR08-26-00603.
May 12, 2026: The Boise County reckless-driving case was filed as State of Idaho v. Gavin T. Schmid, Case No. CR08-26-00607.
May 15, 2026: Schmid pleaded guilty to operating a motorcycle without the required endorsement and paid the assessed amount.
June 1, 2026: Schmid appeared for arraignment in the Boise County reckless-driving case.
June 22, 2026: Schmid entered a not-guilty plea to the reckless-driving charge and requested a jury trial.
October 13, 2026: A jury trial was scheduled in the Boise County reckless-driving case. This date occurred after the July 2026 collision.
July 2026: Schmid allegedly operated the same CF Moto motorcycle in Sterling's neighborhood, where the posted speed limit was 25 miles per hour.
July 2026: Schmid allegedly traveled approximately 83 miles per hour, was intoxicated, and did not possess a motorcycle endorsement when he struck Sterling.