From Andy Furillo:
The career criminal who ran into his car into "Big Mike" Winnett's motorcycle and left him to die on Madison Avenue last year was sentenced today to 12 years and eight months in state prison.
Sacramento Superior Court Judge David I. Brown told defendant William Roger Lyons that his behavior after the Aug. 24, 2008, collision in the Fair Oaks area "shows an appalling lack of humanity" and "reflects to me callousness and a lack of emotion that are quite extraordinary."
Two of Winnett's sisters, a niece and a friend he took under his wing at Narcotics Anonymous told the court that the death of the king-sized blues harmonica player, Army veteran and salesman by trade left a hollowness to their lives that they said they'll never be able to replace.
"He was a living example for me on how to stay clean," said his niece, Jennifer Sousa, of her 6-foot-6, 350-pound uncle.
Lyons, 56, was under the influence of methadone and was out on bail after having been arrested in Placer County on a heroin charge when, according to the California Highway Patrol, he ran a stop sign onto Madison Avenue and pulled in front of Winnett's motorcycle.
The defendant declined to say anything in court today. His probation report quotes him as suggesting that he felt the collision was Winnett's fault.
"They keep saying in the paper that I made a California stop and I didn't," the report quoted Lyons as saying in a Dec. 4 interview. "I was stopped and I waited for cars to pass and when I pulled out this guy hit me."
A CHP officer testified at Lyons' preliminary hearing in July about Lyons running the stop sign. The officer also testified that Lyons walked away from the wreck even though he heard Winnett "moaning and groaning" in the street. Lyons later told his sister who owned the car to report it stolen to the police, according to his probation report.
Judge Brown sentenced Lyons to three years in prison for felony hit and run and two years for misdemeanor manslaughter. He gave Lyons an additional year each for seven previous prior convictions that landed him in prison. Lyons received the additional eight months for a probation violation.
Lyons has a criminal record that goes back more than 30 years. Most of his convictions are drug-related.
Winnett, 46, was killed almost immediately after coming out of an NA meeting.
Sousa said she was at the same meeting that night with her uncle.
"His last words to me were, 'Stay clean,' " she said today.
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.