Pickup driver charged with murder in 5 Michigan bicyclists' deaths

[Crabby Appleton]

Source: CBS

DETROIT -- A 50-year-old driver of a pickup truck that struck a group of bicyclists killing five of them was charged Thursday with five counts of second degree murder.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeffrey Getting also charged Charles Pickett Jr. of Battle Creek on Thursday with four counts of reckless driving in the crash Tuesday that injured four others in Cooper Township north of Kalamazoo. It was not immediately known whether Pickett has an attorney.

"The filing of formal charges is only the first step in the judicial process," said Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting, CBS affiliate WWMT reported. "The investigation is not over and the police will continue to gather information on what lead up to this crash."

Read more: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/pickup-driver-charged-with-murder-in-5-michigan-bicyclists-deaths/

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Link to thread about the incident. The murder charge is a separate story.

Five dead, four injured after pickup rams into group of bicyclists near Kalamazoo, Mich.

[Eleanors38]

2. Good god. I wish the survivors well.

[jberryhill]

3. Kalamazoo cyclist crash suspect had previous DUI charge

http://fox17online.com/2016/06/09/kalamazoo-cyclist-crash-suspect-had-previous-dui-charge/

[snooper2]

4. Appears to be just your average every-day piece of shit...

Charles Pickett Jr.: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know

http://heavy.com/news/2016/06/charlie-charles-e-pickett-jr-battle-creek-kalamazoo-bicycle-bike-crash-driver-suspect-name-victims-photos-facebook/

oh, and family-

WWMT-TT went to Pickett’s home for comment on Wednesday, but said the family threatened to chase a reporter and cameraman off their property with a front end loader and then pursued the news crew in a car after the verbal altercation

[maxsolomon]

6. to think that man is 2 years younger than me

he looks 60.

[dbackjon]

8. And not an immigrant! I thought if there was no immigrants

There would be no crime

[dhill926]

5. good...

[yellowcanine]

7. Here he is on his Harley. Note the helmet in his right hand.

Confederate "Heritage" enthusiast, no doubt.

[MMTampa]

9. Note the beer in his left hand. . .

[dhill926]

10. yep...

hope this fuckstick never sees the light of day again...

[HDSam]

11. Not that

It matters, but that isn't a Harley.

As a longtime motorcyclist and recently returned bicyclist, I hope the judge hammers him. I hope the picture is used against him in court.

[LompocDem]

15. Looks like a Victory...

Kinda like 'Freedom Fries' on a in the MC world.

[progressoid]

12. I think that might be more like an Evil Kinevil helmet.

But the piece of shit still needs to rot in jail regardless.

[LompocDem]

14. I hope the never rides again

I suspect he's thinks of himself as a 'Biker'. Us Motorcycle enthusiasts who don't want to be associated with a-holes like this is the reason we reject the moniker of 'Biker'. This guy is just an A-Hole with a nice bike and probably a pickup truck to boot. I hope he rots in prison and will forever remember that he will never ride again!

[Judi Lynn]

13. Horrible day for these people and their families. They must still be in shock.

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Charles Pickett, Jr., Kalamazoo.

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