DETROIT – A Lincoln Park man was sentenced Monday in the deadly hit-and-run of eight-year veteran Detroit police officer Myron Jarrett.
Jarrett was on duty Oct. 28, 2016 in the area of Monica Street and Puritan Avenue assisting officers with an investigation when he was fatally struck by a vehicle. Police say that driver was 54-year-old Steven Patrick Guzina and that he fled the location on foot.
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Guzina was charged with second-degree murder, operating while intoxicated causing death, operating while intoxicated causing serious bodily injury, failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault resulting in death, reckless driving causing death and reckless driving causing serious impairment of body function. He pleaded guilty in July to second-degree murder, operating while intoxicated causing death and failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault resulting in death. He is scheduled to be sentenced Monday.
Two other Detroit police officers were involved in the wreck, but were not injured.
Jarrett was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead. The cause of death was due to multiple injuries. He was a father of four.
The sentencing hearing
Jarrett’s wife spoke at the sentencing hearing about her husband.
“Mr. Guzina has no idea how he destroyed my life,” she said. “My husband and I were high school sweethearts and together we were raising four beautiful children. Because of Mr. Guzina, I no longer have my soul mate and my children no longer have a father.”
She told the court that their 5-year-old daughter asked if the doctors could fix her father and she had to explain to her it wasn’t possible.
Tears ran down Guzina’s face as he addressed the court.
“So many lives were destroyed by my actions,” Guzina said. “I’m so sorry for the destruction I caused to your family.”
Guzina was sentenced to at least 16 years in prison. He won’t be eligible for parole until he is 71 years of age.
Guzina arrested at bus stop
Police were able to identify Guzina because the van, which was still at the scene of the crash, was registered to him. Guzina was taken into custody shortly after at a bus stop at Grand River Avenue and Schaefer Highway.
Police said Guzina refused to take a breathalyzer test.
Before Guzina was located, officers went to his home in Lincoln Park, where a woman, believed to be his wife or ex-wife, answered the door. Sources say the woman told investigators that Guzina frequently visits the area of the hit-and-run while allegedly going on "crack cocaine benders.”
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