Man sentenced to prison in Michigan road rage beating, death

GRAND RAPIDS (AP) - A 19-year-old man convicted of second-degree murder in the death of a man after what authorities called a road rage incident in western Michigan has been sentenced to prison.

Kent County Circuit Court Judge George Quist on Monday ordered Christian Hillman of Ada Township to spend 22½ to 100 years in prison. Quist called the assault on 64-year-old William "Andy" McFarlan of Caledonia a "heinous and vicious attack."

McFarlan died after being in hospice care for weeks with a severe brain injury after the Sept. 29 attack near Grand Rapids. Authorities say Hillman, who had been riding a dirt bike, kicked McFarlan while the victim lay on the ground outside his pickup truck.

Hillman's lawyer has referred to the incident as a fight, saying at some point Hillman lost control.

Published: Fri, Jul 28, 2017