Cancer Christ’s Anthony Mehlhaff Pleads Not Guilty to Multiple Felonies Related to National Park Incident
Last August, a wild story came out of the Yosemite National Park in California, as Cancer Christ frontman Anthony Mehlhaff took police on a chase that was preceded by what was described at the time as a “terrorizing trek” through the area. Roughly 14 months later, Mehlhaff has pled not guilty to 10 felony counts, including kidnapping, robbery, theft, vandalism, and assault with a deadly weapon.
According to the August 2024 report from the Los Angeles Times, the series of events went as follows: he allegedly assaulted an employee at a local restaurant, led the police on a car chase, he crashed the car, stole a bicycle, threatened workers at a nearby lodge with a knife, stripped to his underwear, tried to kidnap a store manager, then stole that manager’s car and started ramming it into another car on the road, before crashing that car and getting apprehended.
He was eventually taken into police custody, but not before allegedly attacking the sheriff’s deputies at a local hospital. As a result of what allegedly took place that day, he is facing 10 felony counts according to a reporty from the Mariposa Gazette. Those counts are the result of the most recent amended complaint filed against Mehlhaff on November 10, 2024, which included kidnapping, robbery, theft, vandalism, and assault with a deadly weapon and reduced four charges from felonies to misdemeanors.
The Mariposa Gazette also reports that in the months since he’s been held in police custody, Mehlhaff has fired at least three public defenders and had another two defenders refuse to work with him outright. Reports indicate that Mehlhaff had a mental health episode in July 2024, where he was eventaully placed under involuntary psychiatric hold and eventually released. Another incident occurred where he apparently locked himself in a hospital room and caused nearly $5,000 in damage. He was arrested at that time and charged with vandalism and criminal threats, but hospital staff declined to press charges , resutling in his release on site.
Through reporting by The Mariposa Gazette and an interview with Mehlhaff’s ex-wife and mother of his 13-year-old daughter, the vocalist had at one point been living a sober lifestyle, but that all changed in 2023. Eventaully he began abusing magic mushrooms and bounding THC edibles and drinks, resulting in the couple’s separation.
In the months since, two forensic psychiatrists have diagnosed Mehlhaff with bipolar disorder, complex trauma, cannabis use disorder, and hallucinogen use disorder. Coupled with some familial history with mental health issues and a potentially difficult childhood, said psychiatrists believe the rampage was trigged by all of those factors working against each other.
As it stands, Mehlhaff and his legal defense team are seeking a mental health diversion, which should keep him out of bars if he agrees to receive two years of treatment and therapy. Of course, the Mariposa County District Attorney is seeking to stand against that motion and seek more punitive measures.
