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US driver who killed five cyclists found guilty of murder

Charles Pickett Jr, who was on drugs when he ploughed into group of riders in Michigan in 2016, faces life in jail

A US motorist who killed five cyclists in Michigan in 2016 faces life imprisonment after being found guilty of five counts of second-degree murder, each punishable by a maximum life sentence.

> Driver who ploughed into Michigan cyclists charged with 5 counts of murder

Charles Pickett Jr was also convicted by a jury in Michigan yesterday of five counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, and four counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury, reports woodtv.com.

At his trial, the court heard testimony from a friend of Pickett’s who said that he had taken a number of pills before driving his pick-up truck into a group of cyclists in Cooper Township near Kalamazoo on 7 June 2017, killing five –  Debbie Bradley, Melissa Fevig-Hughes, Tony Nelson, Larry Paulik and Suzanne Sippel.

Following the guilty verdicts, which the jury took four hours to reach, its foreman Nick Meisling told reporters said: "Mr Pickett had several opportunities to stop and pull over and he chose to keep going, which obviously resulted in the death of five people, which is why we came to our verdict."

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting commented: "Justice has been served in this case," adding that the judge “will have the discretion to impose a sentence that serves justice."

Kalamazoo County Assistant Prosecutor Michael Kanaby added: "The families [of the victims] are about as relieved as you can get.

"It's been a long process for them. I have to take my hat off to them. They have been outstanding.

“They were pretty much hands off and trusted us to do what we needed to do, which was amazing with all that was going on and how long the process took to get here."

Guy Hughes, whose wife Melissa Fevig-Hughes was one of the victims, said: “I thought it would feel like justice, but not having Melissa here with us and my two daughters not having a mom, it just takes away from that.

“I feel justice was served, but it won’t bring her back," he added.

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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5 comments

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Housecathst | 6 years ago
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I doubt a jury of uk motorists would have even returned a guilty verdict. 

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BehindTheBikesheds replied to Housecathst | 6 years ago
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Housecathst wrote:

I doubt a jury of uk motorists would have even returned a guilty verdict. 

I doubt it would have even got to anywheree near such a charge, it'd be death by careless because the CPS are gutless and our system is wank. You only need look at the poor sods from Rhyll CC who were killed by a motorist who was going at excessive speed on a corner in icy conditions, that they had bald tyres was neither here nor there, outcome, a fine of £180 for breaching technical regulations (Construction and Use). That's just one of many.

The Rhyll incident is nearly 12 years ago (there's a long piece in the Independant here https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/fatal-journey-the-sto... and on the day the police inspector publicly stated

"The driver has lost control because of the ice on the road. There is no indication to suggest that this is down to something like excessive speed.

"Our best estimate at the moment is that the car is driving at something like 50 miles per hour. And on a road like this, that isn't excessive speed.

All of which was a cover up and lies. They lost control because of excessive speed, the vicar who the driver had overtaken did not crash on the bend, nor had anyone else that morning. That speed when the conditions were not "fine" but known to be icy WERE excessive on a road like that never mind on a bend. the CI went on to call it a "tragic accident", tragic yes but not an accident which was also a lie. This similar thinking is repeated up and down the country by police and on many occasions fail to even press for charges (see Michael Mason case) The comparison to the Alliston case should made because one got absolutely ragged in the national media and social media and charged to the hilt and the other deliberately speeding in icy conditions got off utterly scot free.

Combine that with a weak inadeuate, ill trained/educated CPS and piss poor prep, their failure to charge at the correct level, inability of government to look at how to make the changes in law when other motorists are unwilling, despite clear evidence/facts to prosecute their own because they are incapable of seeing the facts/understanding the danger and indeed the law, as well as the well I would have done the same so I don't see anything wrong thinking.

And from that the lowering of the standard of driving across the board and so we have what we have. Virtual lawlessness and a police force unwilling to tackle the issues and a justice system that is massively flawed and not fit for purpose.

Whilst some of the way the US charges for certain crimes is utterly ridiculous and is too far the other way when it comes to killing/harming people I think they are closer to justice than we are, by a long way.

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wycombewheeler replied to Housecathst | 6 years ago
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Housecathst wrote:

I doubt a jury of uk motorists would have even returned a guilty verdict. 

I disagree, from reports on verdictsfor death by dangerous driving it seems that to be convicted you must be 

a) on drink or drugs

b) a foreigner

all other cases no matter how foolish the driving, it will never be more thasn death by careless because enough members of the jury will consider the driving to be reasonable

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burtthebike | 6 years ago
2 likes

So if you kill someone with a vehicle in the USA, they take it seriously, but in the UK, all the driver has to do is say the sun was in their eyes and they walk free?

The current consultation on cycling and safety just got a whole lot more interesting.

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hawkinspeter | 6 years ago
8 likes

Now that's a proper sentence to send a message. It's a tragedy that at least 6 people have had their lives ended/ruined.

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