An 83-year-old Wyoming attorney, Sanford "Sandy" Ress, has been charged with homicide by vehicle and other offenses in connection with the death of fashion designer Helga Hermine Tesar, 73. The incident occurred on December 12, 2025, when Tesar was struck by Ress's vehicle as she crossed a street in Jackson, Wyoming. Prosecutors in Teton County filed the charges against Ress, who has pleaded not guilty.
Tesar died on December 19, 2025, from her injuries. A GoFundMe page established for her recovery was later converted into a memorial fund.
Ress is scheduled to appear for a change of plea hearing on October 19. If convicted of vehicular homicide, he could face up to one year in jail and a $2,000 fine. A plea agreement has not yet been publicly filed.
Ress, a retired attorney, has been involved in local civic matters. In February 2023, he filed a lawsuit against the St. John's Health Board of Trustees, alleging violations of Wyoming's open meetings and public records laws. A district judge ruled in favor of the hospital board on most of Ress's complaints, finding that the board's sessions did not violate state open meeting laws.
Helga Hermine Tesar was born in Vienna, Austria. Her parents were a carpenter and a seamstress. She moved to the United States with her family in 1986. After settling in upstate New York, Tesar began creating award-winning quilts. Later, she moved to Wyoming with her family and co-founded a restaurant in Teton Village. She obtained a degree from the Sheffield School of Interior Design and established her own business, "Helga's Design," where her "leather art-to-wear pieces" gained recognition.
Her son Andrew shared a heartfelt message on Instagram following her death, stating, "Our family gathered together around her yesterday evening to say our goodbyes and express our love for her."