A Macomb Township man convicted of drunk driving in a fatal 2024 crash has been sentenced, officials said.
Jack Robb was given 10 years to 50 years in prison by a Macomb County Circuit Court judge on Thursday, the county prosecutor’s office said.
The 20-year-old was also ordered to pay $11,863.93 in restitution, authorities said.
Robb’s attorney, Stephen Rabaut, was not immediately available for comment on Friday.
A jury convicted Robb of second-degree murder in May, according to court records. He faced up to life in prison.
‘Devastating consequences’
Authorities alleged Robb was driving drunk when he crashed his car into another motorist’s vehicle at about 2 a.m. on Jan. 7, 2024, in Shelby Township.
Police said Robb, 17 years old at the time of the incident, was traveling north on Hayes Road in a Dodge Ram pickup at about 86 mph when he disregarded a red light and broadsided a Honda Civic. Austin Southwell, 26, was driving the Honda and traveling west on 21 Mile Road.
An investigation revealed Robb had consumed alcohol and marijuana before the crash, officials said.
Robb’s sentence “reflects the devastating consequences of a choice that never should have been made,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a statement. “Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs puts every life on the road at risk, and in this case, it resulted in the tragic death of a young man with his entire future ahead of him.”
“While no sentence can undo the pain caused by Austin Southwell’s death, I hope this outcome provides his family and loved ones with a measure of justice and closure,” Lucido said. “This case should serve as a powerful reminder that impaired driving is not an accident — it is a preventable and dangerous decision that can change lives forever.”
Other cases involving motorists accused of driving drunk
The case follows others in Michigan involving drunk driving.
On Thursday, the Macomb County prosecutor announced bench warrants were issued for the arrest of Eminem’s ex-wife after she failed to appear in court to face drunken driving charges.
Earlier this month, U.S. District Judge Thomas Ludington pleaded not guilty to probation violation while arraigned in a northern Michigan court on charges that he failed to submit to alcohol and drug tests, part of his probation for a drunk driving conviction.
Last month, a Warren district court judge was charged with driving with a high blood alcohol content and crashing into a SMART bus in Sterling Heights.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Man sentenced in fatal 2024 Shelby Twp. crash
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News | USA TODAY Network
