Update: Medical condition delays arraignment

KALAMAZOO, MI -- A 50-year-old Battle Creek man has been charged with five counts of second-degree murder in the June 7 fatal bicycle crash in Cooper Township.

Charles Pickett Jr. faces five counts of second-degree murder for the bicyclists that died in the crash, and four counts of reckless driving causing serious impairment of a body function for the bicyclists injured in the crash. He could face up to life in prison if convicted of murder. The reckless driving counts are punishable by up to five years in prison.

Killed were Debra Ann Bradley, 53, of Augusta; Melissa Ann Fevig Hughes, 42, of Augusta; Fred Anton "Tony" Nelson, 73, of Kalamazoo; Lorenz John "Larry" Paulik, 74, of Kalamazoo and Suzanne Joan Sippel, 56, of Augusta.

Four people were seriously injured. They are Paul Douglas Gobble, 47 of Richland, Sheila Diane Jeske, 53, of Richland, Jennifer Lynn Johnson, 40 of Kalamazoo and Paul Lewis Runnels, 65, of Richland. On Wednesday, Johnson was hospitalized in fair condition and Gobble, Jeske and Runnels were in serious condition.

Johnson has a femur injury, Kalamazoo County Sheriff's Lt. Jim VanDyken testified at a probable cause hearing. Gobble is being treated at Borgess Medical Center in serious condition, Runnels has severe body lacerations and Jeske has head injuries and leg lacerations, VanDyken said.

The second-degree murder counts allege Pickett "... did with intent to kill, to do great bodily harm, or to act in wanton and wilfull disregard of the likelihood that the natural tendency of said act would cause death or great bodily harm" kill each of the five bicyclists who died. It does not allege premeditation.

The reckless driving causing serious impairment counts allege Pickett "... in wanton or wilfull disregard for the safety of person or property and by the operation of that vehicle did cause serious impairment of a body function" to the four bicyclists who were injured.

Kalamazoo County Prosecutor Jeff Getting will be holding a press briefing at 4 p.m. to update the media and the community on the status of the case.

"The filing of formal charges is the only first step in the judicial process. "The investigation is not over and the police will continue to gather information on what lead up to this crash," Getting said in a news release following announcement of the charges.

"As members of the Kalamazoo community we have all been dealt a devastating blow by the deaths and injuries of so many innocent people," the prosecutor said. "Our hearts are saddened for the victims, their families and friends who are trying to cope with this tragedy. As a community, we must reach out to them and give them our support as we all struggle to deal with what has happened."