Lookout in fatal Niles robbery gets 4 years

Published 9:33 am Tuesday, December 29, 2015

An Indiana woman was sentenced to a minimum of four years in prison for her role in a fatal robbery at the Long John Silver’s restaurant in Niles in 2014.

Berrien County Judge Dennis Wiley said 27-year-old Kavina Ward, 27, acted as a lookout or getaway driver during the May 2 robbery.

Ward’s accomplice, Eddie Macon, Jr., was armed with a pistol when he robbed the restaurant. He was shot and killed by police while attempting to flee the scene.

“You are just as guilty as he is as far as I’m concerned,” the judge said during Monday’s sentencing hearing.

Ward was originally charged with armed robbery, but the prosecutor’s office agreed to reduce the charge to unarmed robbery in exchange for her pleading no contest.

Ward, who was registered as living in Indiana, was apologetic Monday.

“I learned my lesson… I am just so sorry,” she said.

Wiley sentenced Ward to a minimum of 48 months in the Michigan Department of Corrections and ordered her to pay nearly $1,500 in fines and court costs.

Defense attorney Albert Mais described the incident as tragic all the way around.

“She realizes she made the worst mistake of her life,” Mais said.

Ward has credit for 104 days already served.

Also Monday, 18-year-old Louis David Spatuzza, of Cassopolis, was placed on probation for two years on one count of attempted larceny of a firearm. He was also ordered to spend 30 days in Berrien County Jail and to pay $2,158 in fines and court costs.