By AP
LAPEER, MI –
A Lapeer man who police say caused a fatal crash while texting and driving has been sentenced to a month in jail and 12 months of probation.
WDIV-TV reports that 41-year-old Jerry Joseph was also ordered Wednesday to pay $5,925 in fines. He pleaded guilty last month to a moving violation causing death and to driving without insurance stemming from a Nov. 30 crash that killed 78-year-old Irene Paquin of Lapeer County's Attica Township.
Authorities say Joseph ran a stop sign and broadsided a vehicle driven by Paquin's 81-year-old husband, who was seriously hurt in the crash.
Police later determined Joseph was texting on his phone at the time of the crash. Lapeer County prosecutors said texting was a contributing factor in Joseph's failure to stop at the sign.