Niles man faces one-year maximum for fatal hit-and-run

Published 4:16 pm Thursday, September 26, 2013

The sentencing date has been delayed for a Niles man charged with the hit-and-run death of another Niles man in April of last year.

Kory Bridges, 27, of Niles, pleaded no contest Aug. 2 to one count of moving violation causing death, a misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of one year; and one count of attempted resisting and obstructing, also a one-year misdemeanor.

Bridges was driving a vehicle that struck and killed Charles Edward Lintz, 51, on Michigan-60 near Lilac Avenue in Howard Township at around 9:20 p.m. April 29 2012.

Bridges drove away from the scene, but turned himself in the next day. Six months later, after an investigation, the Cass County Prosecutor’s office charged Bridges with failure to stop at the scene of a fatal accident, a five-year felony.

Bridges then pleaded no contest to a lesser charge of moving violation causing death Aug. 2.

Prosecutor Victor Fitz said he couldn’t comment on why the prosecutor’s office accepted Bridges’ plea to a lesser charge until after sentencing.

Cass County Circuit Court Judge Michael Dodge was scheduled to sentence Bridges Friday, but Dodge decided to remand the case to district court. There, Bridges will be sentenced by District Court Judge Stacey Rentfrow at a date yet to be determined.

Fitz said his office was notified earlier this week that Bridges’ sentencing was remanded to District Court.

Because Bridges is charged with a one-year misdemeanor, Dodge had the authority to remand sentencing to district court.