DETROIT (WWJ) -- A Detroit man who ran over and killed a Wayne County Sheriff's sergeant last summer has been sentenced.
Officials say Desmond Robinson's Buick Enclave struck and killed Sgt. Lee Smith while the off-duty officer was jogging along Hines Drive near Middlebelt Road in Westland around 10 a.m. on Aug. 14, 2018. Police said last summer that Smith's body was dragged a short distance and Robinson, 47, never slowed down and fled the scene.
Last month Robinson pleaded guilty to reckless driving and failure to stop at the scene of an accident
Wayne County judge Qiana Lillard on Tuesday ordered Robinson to spend 4 1/2 to 15 years in prison.
"By all accounts, Sgt. Smith was a dedicated, passionate, and skilled member of law enforcement who was going to retire soon," Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement back in August. "In the blink of an eye, the alleged actions of this defendant destroyed the lives of his family, friends, fellow officers, and the many others he had yet to positively influence."
Smith, a 26-year veteran of the force, is remembered as a hero. He was honored with a Westland Police Department Certificate of Merit for helping evacuate people from a burning senior citizens center. A married father of a 28-year-old son, he was set to retire from the force in late August.
