A Saginaw County jury has found a woman guilty of killing a man by running over him in front of his home.
The jury on Thursday, Oct. 28, found Gerri Conic, guilty of second-degree murder in the death of 54-year-old Gary D. Hunt Jr. The charge is punishable by up to life in prison with the possibility of parole.
Jurors deliberated for about two hours.
Hunt was fatally injured on Jan. 30, 2020, and died weeks later on Feb. 17.
Hunt and Conic had been in an on-again, off-again relationship for 17 years. Conic had lived at Hunt’s house at 2317 Parkwood Ave.
On January 30, 2020, Hunt evicted Conic and placed her belongings on his yard for her to pick up.
Believing this to be illegal, an angry Conic drove her 1998 Lincoln Town Car to Hunt’s home that same afternoon. Hunt or a friend present with him had already called 911, believing Conic had already broken into his house due to there being a broken window present.
After tussling with a woman who was also present, Conic returned to her Town Car. Hunt was standing beside it, but not in front of it.
“All she has to do is put it in drive, slowly hit the gas, and leave,” said Saginaw County Assistant Prosecutor Drew K. Sauter in his opening statement on Oct. 26. “No one is stopping her. She is not actively being assaulted at this point in time. They’ve wanted her to leave since she got there. … All of a sudden, the defendant slams the gas and makes a hard right turn to hit the victim, Gary Hunt Jr.”
Hunt backed up and put a hand on the Town Car’s hood. The Town Car rolled over Hunt, trapping him beneath it and crushing him, Sauter said.
The Town Car was stuck with Hunt beneath it and could not move, Sauter said. Conic exited her vehicle, saw she had hit Hunt, then returned to the driver’s seat and tried leaving the scene, he continued.
The first responding police officer’s body-worn camera captured video footage of Conic behind the wheel of her Town Car, trying to drive away with the rear wheels spinning in the air, Sauter said.
In his opening statement, defense attorney James F. Piazza said Conic had no intent to end Hunt’s life. Conic was intoxicated at the time, having a blood alcohol content of 0.135. In Michigan, a person is legally intoxicated when their blood alcohol level hits 0.08.
Conic also told police Hunt had choked her before the collision occurred, Piazza said.
“She’s drunk, she’s arguing, and she’s been choked and hit,” Piazza said. “She also told the police … that she feared for her life. All she wanted to do was get out of there and tried to leave. There was no intent to run Mr. Hunt over. She wanted to leave, simple as that. She was drunk and she was frightened, trying to flee.”
Piazza said he was displeased with the jury’s findings.
“I am bitterly disappointed in the verdict,” Piazza said. “This case should have been an operating while intoxicated causing death because this was an accident and she had been drinking. This was not a murder case.”
Hunt had for two years served as the vice president of Low 4 Life Car Club’s Saginaw chapter. He had been “a proud and dedicated member/brother for over 10 years,” the organization said in a statement.
“His love for painting and fixing cars showed throughout our community,” the group continued. “Gary is well-known in our community. You needed a dent bumped out, paint job, door handle fixed, etc., everyone says, ‘Take it to Gary; he’s at his shop.’ If he wasn’t in his shop painting, he would be with his children, grandchild, family, and friends. You could always catch him at a car show or riding with fellow car guys and brothers Low 4 Life, Outta Control Car Club, Xclusive Car Club, and many more.
“Gary’s presence will be missed but his legacy will live on,” the club continued. “Ride in Paradise, our brother.”
Saginaw County Circuit Judge Janet M. Boes is to sentence Conic on a date that’s yet to be scheduled.
Tell us your thoughts...