courtesy of The Morning Sun
A Gratiot County man faces sentencing in the hit-and-run death of an Alma nun after entering into a plea agreement with prosecutors Monday.
Justin Fell, 33, pleaded no contest to failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault and/or causing death, a 15-year felony; and a moving violation causing death, a one-year misdemeanor in front of Circuit Court Judge Randy Tahvonen.
No contest is not an admission of guilt but is treated as such for sentencing purposes; there is not an agreement with respect to a sentencing range, said Gratiot County Prosecutor Keith Kushion.
Fell is scheduled for sentencing Dec. 4.
Related: false police report leads to hit-and-run suspect
Police searched for a suspect for eleven days after Sister Joseph Marie Ruessman of the Religious Sisters of Mercy in Alma was hit by a car as she rode her bike on Michigan Avenue on August 17.
Ruessman was taken to a hospital and later died of her injuries as the Alma Police Departmentcontinued an investigation into finding the driver who fled the scene.
A break in the case came about a week later when detectives discovered a report at the Gratiot County Sheriff’s Office of a car versus deer collision from the same day Ruessman was hit.
A review of evidence from the car/deer collision showed damage that matched evidence Alma Police had obtained from the hit-and-run fatal; damage to the bug guard matched a piece found at the scene on Michigan Ave.
Fell was arrested, arraigned and then released on a $50,000 personal recognizance bond.
Sister Ruessman was a lawyer and was remembered as a quiet, hardworking and prayerful woman who was dedicated to the church and its community.
