Pubdate: Wed, 26 Jan 2005
Source: Allegan County News (MI)
Contact:  Allegan County News 2005
Website: http://www.allegannews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3675
Author: Ryan Lewis, Staff Writer
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?224 (Cannabis and Driving)

KENNEDY SENTENCED

Hopkins Man Gets 6 To 15 Years For Auto Accident That Killed Student

Robert Scott Kennedy of Hopkins will have many years to think about the 
night of Dec. 8, 2003. Judge George Corsiglia sentenced him in circuit 
court Jan. 21 to between 78 and 180 months for operating a vehicle under 
the influence of marijuana causing death and 23 to 60 months for causing 
injury in the same accident. He will serve the sentences concurrently.

Kennedy, 28, pleaded guilty in July 2003 to the crime in which his car 
struck another vehicle, killing Hopkins High School student Stephanie 
Switek, 16, and seriously injuring another Hopkins student, Jacqueline 
Markoski, 17. Four hours after the accident, a test showed marijuana in his 
system.

Markoski read a statement before the sentence was handed out. She endured 
10 months of physical rehabilitation following the accident. "How will 
Christmas ever be the same?" she asked.

She and Switek had been on their way home from a Christmas shopping trip 
when Kennedy's car crested a hill at more than 70 miles per hour into 
oncoming traffic.

"Thanks to Mr. Kennedy, (Switek) never made it home," she said. "No one 
made him smoke pot and no one made him drive erratically."

Markoski said Kennedy had yet to show remorse for his actions and asked the 
court to deliver the highest possible sentence, 15 years.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager