BAY CITY, MI

-- Despite pleading guilty to violating his probation four times, Bay City attorney Edward M. Czuprynski is no longer subject to government supervision.

And if he pays a four-figure sum, he'll face no jail time or further repercussions for having crashed into a pedestrian two years ago.

Czuprynski, 66, on Tuesday, April 18, appeared before Saginaw County District Judge M. Randall Jurrens for sentencing on four counts of probation violation. Jurrens on Jan. 18 had sentenced Czuprynski to 18 months' probation, during which he was prohibited from possessing or consuming alcohol, being in bars, and driving past sunset for six months. Jurrens initially also banned Czuprynski from being able to use medical marijuana, but later lifted that restriction.

Since then, Czuprynski was detained by Essexville Public Safety Officer Nate VanTifflin on Feb. 27 for buying a 12-pack of Stella Artois beer and driving during nighttime hours. On March 7, Hampton Township Police Officer John May stopped Czuprynski for again driving at night, this time after leaving Gatsby's Seafood & Steakhouse, 203 Center Ave., where he had consumed a beer.

Czuprynski on March 9 pleaded guilty to four counts of probation violation. He pleaded not guilty to one count of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated.

"It's always been my position that the special conditions of probation are invalid as authorized by law," Czuprynski told the judge Tuesday. "With that in mind, I suggest a proper sentence on this matter would be fines perhaps and I would ask that the probation be terminated."

Genesee County Assistant Prosecutor Chris Larobardiere, who prosecuted Czuprynski during his trial, read from a probation violation report.

"The defendant continued to violate his probation despite pending an arraignment for pending probation violations," the document states. "He has only been on probation for approximately three months. Clearly, the defendant's behavior suggests he shall continue to follow his own dictates with little to no regard for his probation conditions."

The probation officer who authored the report recommended Czuprynski be sentenced to 93 days in jail and be discharged from probation without success.

"While I appreciate they do not want to supervise him anymore, I don't think a person should be just discharged from probation when they fail to comply with it," Larobardiere said. "He should be held accountable. He should be punished. He violated not once, not twice, not three times, but four times, in a very short amount of time.

"He has continually thumbed his nose at this court's orders, judge, and he should be held accountable," he continued. "Any other person walking into this courtroom having violated probation would be fearful of what the court would do, and they should be, and they should be punished. He should not be held any differently, judge."

He urged Jurrens to treat Czuprynski as any other citizen and judge him by his conduct.

"His conduct has been a terror," Larobardiere concluded.

Jurrens ordered Czuprynski to pay $700 for his four violations, in addition to the $1,864 he's already been ordered to pay, for a total of $2,564. An alternative sentence, meaning if Czuprynski doesn't pay the sum, would be 93 days in jail, Jurrens said.

At Czuprynski's request, Jurrens delayed imposing a due date for the fines pending a Court of Appeals ruling on Czuprynski's conviction.

Background

A Bay County jury in December acquitted Czuprynski of a felony charge of operating a motor vehicle while visibly impaired by a controlled substance causing serious bodily impairment, but found him guilty of a moving violation causing serious bodily impairment, a misdemeanor punishable by up to 93 days in jail and a $500 fine.

The case stems from an incident that occurred the night of June 16, 2015. At about 10:30 p.m., police responded to a car-pedestrian collision at the intersection of Center Avenue and Scheurmann Road in Hampton Township. Trial testimony indicated Czuprynski had been driving his red 2003 Buick LeSabre east on Center from his Bay City law office to his Essexville home when he collided with 52-year-old James S. Stivenson, who was walking south across Center toward Rebel Food Store.

Czuprynski had taken a sleeping aid shortly before the crash, but argued it had not entered his bloodstream when the crash occurred.

Czuprynski was charged with a felony count of operating a motor vehicle while visibly impaired by a controlled substance causing serious bodily impairment, but the jury acquitted him of this offense.

Czuprynski maintained, even at his sentencing, that he was railroaded by police. At his sentencing, Czuprynski said that while he feels bad for Stivenon's injuries, he did not cause it. Stivenson was wearing black clothing and had a blood alcohol level of 0.19 when the crash occurred.

"I would submit, your honor, that's the cause of the accident," he said. "I feel bad about it, but I do not feel remorseful, if that's the proper word, as I did not cause it."

Stivenson filed a lawsuit against Czuprynski. On Feb. 7, Czuprynski settled the suit for more than $1 million.