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Drugged driver who killed five cyclists in Michigan jailed for at least 40 years

Charles Pickett Junior could serve as much as 75 years in prison following Kalamazoo tragedy

A motorist in Michigan who killed five cyclists and seriously injured four others when he ploughed into a group ride near Kalamazoo in 2016 has been jailed for a minimum of 40 years, and could serve a maximum sentence of 75 years in prison.

The cyclists, a group of friends who called themselves ‘The Chain Gang’ were out on their weekly ride when Charles Pickett Junior, aged 52, crashed into them in his pick-up truck in Cooper Township on 9 June 2016.

The Battle Creek Enquirer  reports that Pickett was sentenced to five consecutive terms of eight to 15 years for operating while intoxicated causing death.

He will also serve four concurrent terms of three to five years for operating a vehicle while intoxicated causing serious injury, and five concurrent terms of 35 to 55 years for second degree murdrer.

Pickett, who had been charged with five counts of second-degree murder, told the court: "I'll live with this the rest of my life.

"I would give my life for the people I murdered, killed and maimed, and I just want to say I'm sorry."

Judge Paul Bridenstine, however, was having none of it and told Pickett, who admitted having taken drugs that day and had been seen driving erratically, that he had ample opportunity to stop driving.

He told him: "The loss is massive and immeasurable. You selfishly and unnecessarily murdered five people and injured four others."

Pickett had been high on a mixture of prescription and illegal drugs at the time of the crash and claimed to have no memory of it.

But the judge said: "You have not expressed a considerable amount of remorse, and you have exhibited no emotion."

The cyclists who lost their lives were Tony Nelson, aged 73, Larry Paulik, 74, Melissa Fevig-Hughes, 42, Debra Bradley, 53, and Suzanne Sippel, 56.

Paul Gobble, 47, Sheila Jeske, 53, and Paul Runnels, 64 and Jennifer Johnson, 40, all sustained serious injuries.

In a victim impact statement, the latter said: "This tragedy deserves justice. Where is your remorse? Where is your suffering?"

Last week, on the second anniversary of the tragedy, a memorial to the victims was unveiled across the road from where they died.

 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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12 comments

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StraelGuy | 5 years ago
0 likes

Duly signed.

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burtthebike | 5 years ago
0 likes

Slightly off topic, but just found this petition about mobile phone driving https://www.change.org/p/theresa-may-mp-change-in-sentencing-for-drivers...

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Legs_Eleven_Wor... | 5 years ago
3 likes

Daily Mail: 'But who do YOU think is to blame?'.

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Bob's Bikes replied to Legs_Eleven_Worcester | 5 years ago
0 likes

Legs_Eleven_Worcester wrote:

Daily Mail: 'But who do YOU think is to blame?'.

Daily fail "readers" can't think.

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FluffyKittenofT... | 5 years ago
4 likes

UK maximum sentence 14 years, regardless of how many you kill in a single incident (as I understand it, unless the law has changed, someone could plough into a dozen and kill every one and it's still 14 years maximum).  And nobody has ever received that maximum (and only 1 in 10 do any jail time at all).

 

Longest sentence I have heard of is 10 years for this chap, for a double-killing while doing 70 in a 30 zone, while off his head on drugs in a stolen car.  Anyone know if he was still was out for 'good behaviour' after 5?  Is that not how it normally works?  I guess he must be thankful that he didn't do it in the US.

 

http://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/latest-news/driver-killed-two-cyclists...

 

The US really does have a dramatically different attitude to jail time.  I wonder if that difference is the same across all offences?  Is the gap greater for some crimes than others?

 

In fairness though, I have to admit that there doesn't seem to be much evidence it makes their roads any safer.

 

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ktache | 5 years ago
0 likes

No claim of survivor’s guilt?

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Yorkshire wallet | 5 years ago
2 likes

American sentencing is possibility overly harsh but it's fight this time.

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Housecathst | 5 years ago
3 likes

18 month driving ban in the uk perhaps. 

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burtthebike replied to Housecathst | 5 years ago
2 likes

Housecathst wrote:

18 month driving ban in the uk perhaps. 

Bit harsh, probably get away with a few points on his licence after claiming the sun was in his eyes.

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to burtthebike | 5 years ago
8 likes

burtthebike wrote:

Housecathst wrote:

18 month driving ban in the uk perhaps. 

Bit harsh, probably get away with a few points on his licence after claiming the sun was in his eyes.

Probably have the police Chief Inspector state within a short space of time that it was an 'accident', that's exactly what happened when the 4 poor sods were killed nr Rhyll after the driver was driving at excessive speed on a bend in icy conditions and why the driver was only given a few points and a £180 fine based on a construction and use breach for the bald tyres!no

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Rich_cb | 5 years ago
7 likes

UK politicians/judges take note.

That is a proper charge and a proper sentence.

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
6 likes

That judge is not messing around.

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