The verdicts, returned Wednesday, clear Mathis of two counts of homicide by negligent operation of a vehicle stemming from the June 2, 2024 collision that claimed the lives of Elysia and Mary Ann Kust. According to the criminal complaint, witnesses told investigators Mathis failed to stop at a stop sign before striking another vehicle. Mathis reportedly told deputies he had been driving south on County W when his phone went off. He said he looked down to grab it and, when he looked up, realized too late that he had entered the intersection without stopping. The crash prompted a months-long investigation and led to criminal charges that now end in acquittal. Court records show the jury deliberated Wednesday before returning it’s not-guilty verdicts on both counts.