Michael Karinen, the Imlay City man involved in the June traffic crash that took the life of a Harbor Beach motorcyclist, pleaded no contest on Monday to the two OWIs he was charged with in the aftermath.
Karinen, 58, who has already been convicted of operating while intoxicated five different times in the past, is currently charged with one count of operating while intoxicated causing death and a count of operating while intoxicated, third offense.
The first charge, OWI causing death, could earn Karinen a prison sentence of up to 15 years, with the second OWI charge adding up to one to five years in prison, with his habitual offender status possibly doubling the maximum sentence for the OWI causing death charge.
It was just after 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 25, when deputies were called to the intersection of M-53 and Oak Beach Road in Hume Township, to find Karinen and his passenger alive but injured. Investigation later showed that Karinen had been driving east on Oak Beach Road in his Subaru when he disregarded the stop sign, causing the vehicle to collide with a southbound Yamaha motorcycle being driven by 32-year-old Eldon C. Pierson of Harbor Beach.
Tragically, Pierson died of his injuries at the scene, leaving behind a wife and six children.
Karinen is scheduled to be sentenced at 9:00 a.m. on Monday, October 31, in Huron County Circuit Court.
