MORGANTOWN — The charge against Juan Treschel-Valerio, accused of stabbing a man near the South High Street Bridge in November 2018, was dropped, but he’s suffered consequences because of the arrest.
“If you Google the guy, it’s not good stuff,” said Ryan Umina, Treschel-Valerio’s attorney. “Juan was looking forward to going to trial, telling his side and clearing his name.”
In the dismissal order, the state, represented by Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Chad Noel, said contact with the victim was lost and the case against Treschel-Valerio could not continue without that cooperation.
Umina said his client always maintained the incident was self-defense. According to Umina, Treschel-Valerio said he saw the alleged victim, Justin Mueller, 37, of Springfield, hitting a woman on the trail, so he said something.
Mueller got aggressive and then attacked Treschel-Valerio, who ended up stabbing Mueller, Umina said. Treschel-Valerio was charged with malicious wounding.
Umina said he was confident in the self-defense case and said Mueller had several domestic violence related convictions, including one against the woman Treschel-Valerio said Mueller was hitting that day.
Mueller was convicted twice for domestic battery and once for domestic assault, according to court records. It could not be confirmed if the victims in those cases involved the same person as alleged Nov. 23.
Umina said the fact that Mueller stopped contacting the prosecutor’s office speaks volumes, as does his history of violence towards women.
A new start
“He has to start over with absolutely nothing,” Umina said of his 36-year-old client.
Treschel-Valerio was released from North Central Regional Jail on March 5. He was arrested Nov. 24. Umina said his client had a job when he was arrested and was working with his employer to get a new place to live. Now, he has just the clothes on his back and his bike, Umina said.
There’s a chance Treschel-Valerio could be indicted by a grand jury, and if that happens, Umina said he’s ready to go to trial. Noel said he couldn’t discuss what factors could lead to a possible prosecution.
“But we hope this is over,” Umina said. “[Treschel-Valerio] wants to move on with his life.”
He said his client is looking for a job in construction or of a mechanical nature.
“I hope anyone would do what Juan did if they saw someone attacking a woman,” Umina said.
