KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The man who drove his truck into a group of nine cyclists, killing five, will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.
Charles Pickett Jr. sobbed before a judge delivered his sentence Monday morning. For each cyclist killed, Pickett was given 35 to 55 years in prison with 734 days credit. All of those sentences are to be served concurrently. Combining all of his sentences, Pickett will serve 40 to 75 years in prison.
On June 7, 2016, Pickett drove his pickup truck into a group of bicyclists on Westnedge Avenue in Cooper Township, north of Kalamazoo. The crash killed Debbie Bradley, Melissa Fevig-Hughes,Tony Nelson, Larry Paulik and Suzanne Sippel. Four others survived: Jennifer Johnson, Paul Gobble, Paul Runnels and Sheila Jeske.
A jury last month found Pickett guilty of five counts of second-degree murder, five counts of operating while intoxicated causing death, and four counts of operating while intoxicated causing serious injury.
During his trial, witnesses testified that Pickett took a handful of pills before the crash and experts said that painkillers, muscle relaxers and meth were found in his system. Jurors said they convicted him of murder because he had the opportunity to stop before the crash but didn't.
Before learning his sentence, Pickett apologized.
“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,” he said, wiping away tears.