The hit-and-run driver who struck a group of people, killing three of them, in Newton Township last summer was sentenced to at least 15 years in prison Friday, March 19, by Judge William Carmody in 11th Circuit Court in St. Ignace.

Dustan Bowen, 28, of Sanford, struck the group of pedestrians July 25, 2009, on South Gould City Road. Three died as a result of their injuries, Jonel Hoogterp, 26, and Julie Hatch, 31, both of Durham, North Carolina, and Sara Dobbrastine, 24, of Kent City.

Mr. Bowen pled no contest to three counts of negligent homicide and pled guilty to three counts of failure to stop at the scene of an accident when at fault, resulting in death, before the Circuit Court Friday, February 5.

He has remained lodged in the Mackinac County Jail on a $1 million bond since his arrest July 26. He was initially facing up to life in prison on three charges of second-degree murder, but was, instead, charged with negligent homicide under a plea agreement, where charges of intoxicated driving causing death and driving outside license restrictions were dropped.

The no contest plea, not officially an admission of guilt, allows the judge to sentence as if a guilty plea has been entered but allows the defendant not to be required to say certain things that could be used in a civil lawsuit.

As well as receiving the prison sentence of 15 to 22.5 years for failing to stop at the scene of an accident causing death, Mr. Bowen was given three years in prison for each charge of negligent homicide, charges that will be served concurrently.