Back on August 21st, 2024, Cancer Christ vocalist Anthony Mehlhaff was involved in a wild series of criminal escapades that transpired around California’s Yosemite National Park. As this past report detailed, his spree including telling a pregnant waitress that, “The spirits led me to you and your baby belongs to me,” before later insisting he would be ‘waiting’ for her on her break.
His comments didn’t go over well, with Mehlhaff allegedly having stolen several drinks and assaulted a restaurant employee before vacating the premises. Following that incident, he is said to have headed to Yosemite National Park, where he allegedly stole a bicycle, threatened employees at a nearby lodge with a knife, stripped to his underwear, attempted to kidnap a store manager, and then stole the car of said store manager.
Mehlhaff is said to have then rammed the aforementioned stolen vehicle into another vehicle on the road before crashing the stolen car while being pursued by local authorities. While authorities were able to apprehend him after the crash, he is alleged to have also assaulted deputies during an assessment at a local hospital after being taken into custody.
Late last month, Mehlhaff was in court over the matter. He is said to have pled not guilty to the charges stemming from that August 2024 rampage. Mehlhaff has remained in custody since the August 2024 incident. Per a new report filed on his hearing by the Mariposa Gazette, an amended complaint filed on November 10th finds Mehlhaff facing ten felonies, including charges of, ‘kidnapping, robbery, theft, vandalism, and assault with a deadly weapon. Four other counts, including battery of a police officer, were reduced to misdemeanors.’
The aforementioned publication also note that Mehlhaff has previously dismissed at least three public defenders in his case, while two others opted to not take him on as a client. The Mariposa Gazette spoke with Mehlhaff‘s ex-wife, with whom Anthony shares a thirteen-year-old daughter.
According to his ex, Anthony had led a sober lifestyle until last year. She claimed, “He never drank, he never did drugs,” citing his family’s past history of mental health issues as the apparent reason he abstained. However, she said that changed last year, when she claims he began abusing magic mushrooms and engaged in heavy consumption of THC edibles and beverages. This apparent shift occurred as the couple’s relationship began to hit the rocks and she ultimately asked for a separation.
One of his bandmates in Cancer Christ is said to have backed up her assessment, stating that Mehlhaff‘s ‘manic’ behavior was seemingly brought on by his sudden turn to substance abuse and the manic behavior was out of character for him.
As the Mariposa Gazette report, signs of Mehlhaff‘s apparent mental collapse began weeks prior, with incidents in late July finding him placed under an involuntary psychiatric hold. In early August, he is claimed to have ‘barricaded himself in a room of the hospital and tore the place apart, breaking windows, ripping down ceiling tiles and flooding the room with water, causing $5,000 in damage.’
After allegedly assaulting and menacing hospital staff, he was arrested by police and charged with vandalism, battery and criminal threats. The staff at the hospital declined to press charges however and he was released from police custody several days afterwards
Mehlhaff‘s apparent mental decline is said to have continued during his time in custody since his Yosemite rampage, with him being quoted as telling a therapist, “The town’s upset with me because I found out some Erin Brockovich shit with this town. I discovered weird things about Yosemite. It will come out in court.”
He was also quoted as boasting and making troubling statements about his rampage to his sister on the phone, at one point stating, ““Going on a f***ing high-speed chase with two cars and running from the law is what bad boys do and I am a bad boy, okay? That’s what we do, and it was the most fun I’ve ever had in my life okay. Until I get out of here and then I’m gonna have more fun.”
Since his time in custody, two forensic psychiatrists have met with him and established a general diagnosis of bipolar disorder, complex trauma, and cannabis use disorder / hallucinogen use disorder. Mehlhaff‘s mother is said to have suffered from paranoid schizophrenia and he is claimed to have subsequently endured a rough childhood. A psychiatric assessment also agreed that his August rampage was likely brought on by abusing psilocybin and THC. Since being incarcerated and diagnosed, Mehlhaff is said to have refused anti-psychotic medications.
His current legal representation intend to ask the court for a mental health diversion, meaning that if Mehlhaff willingly undergoes two years treatment and therapy, he could potentially have the various charges against him dropped. However, the Mariposa County District Attorney has indicated he will oppose that motion.
[via Lambgoat]
