Macomb Township Man Sentenced in Fatal Car Accident

Family and friends of John Secord filled a Macomb Circuit courtroom Thursday morning for the sentencing of the man who struck and killed the 38-year-old Macomb Township resident.

Many of those in attendance wore black shirts with Secord's face to show support for the family during the sentencing of John Orlando.

"Mr. Orlando, the decisions you made May 8, 2010, changed my life forever, You took my father from me when you selfishly decided to drive drunk and you left my dad lying in a ditch to suffer," Felicia Secord wrote in a letter read in court about her father's death. "You took the person in my life from me."

Orlando was sentenced up to 15 years in prison by Macomb Circuit Court Judge Diane Druzinski for charges stemming from Secord's death. He pleaded no contest Feb. 14 to failing to stop at the scene of an accident; manslaughter with a motor vehicle; and operating a motor vehicle while impaired, causing a death. 

Orlando, who has three previous drunken driving convictions, struck Secord on Jefferson in the early morning hours of May 9 as he walked home from Gino's Surf in Harrison Township.

Investigators stated that Secord had multiple injuries and was lying in a ditch in near freezing temperatures for nearly eight hours before he was discovered. When medical help arrived, he had multiple injuries and had a body temperature of about 75 degrees.

"Had the defendant done what he was supposed to do, (Secord) had a chance at living and the defendant took that away from him," said Chad Davis, who added that Orlando removed pieces of skin from his car hours after the accident.

Secord was hospitalized and later died from his injuries. Orlando turned himself in later that day and apologized to the family

"I'd like to say to the family, I feel completely responsible and remorseful. I pray daily for God's forgiveness," said Orlando, who added that he prays for the Secord family. "I often know that my negligence took the life of another human soul. Sometimes the pain is unbearable."