ALLEGAN COUNTY, Mich. — The suspect who police say was driving drunk and high on marijuana when he hit and killed a man fixing his disabled car on US-131 was arraigned Thursday.
20-year-old Joshua Bommerscheim, of Mattawan, is charged with operating while intoxicated causing death and causing serious injury.
The crash happened on Aug. 14 around 6:11 a.m. on southbound US-131 near the 48-mile marker in Gun Plain Township.
Police say Bommerscheim was driving a pickup truck southbound when he hit an SUV that was disabled on the shoulder of the road. Two people were outside the car working on it when the truck hit them.
34-year-old Tyler Rexford-Dean Robinson was already dead by the time first responders arrived. Donna Sue Kees, Robinson's girlfriend, suffered serious injuries and was sent to the hospital.
Bommerscheim was uninjured. He was arrested at the scene and taken to the Allegan County Jail. He was under the influence of alcohol and marijuana at the time of the crash, police said.
Thursday in court, Judge William Baillargeon told Bommerscheim he must remain sober.
In an interview with 13 ON YOUR SIDE, Robinson's parents, Jim and Dory Robinson, said he had an adventurous spirit. He was born in Virginia, but moved to Wyoming at 18. He also worked on a pipeline in South Dakota and recently moved to Michigan to be with Kees.
They were supposed to move into an apartment together the weekend after he was killed.
Along with his family and Kees, Tyler leaves behind his four children who are currently not in Michigan.
If convicted, Bommerscheim could face up to 20 years behind bars and fines totaling $15,000.
He will be back in court later this month.