A Kodiak man will spend at least four years in prison for killing another man in a hit-and-run that occurred on Pillar Mountain Road in 2008.
According to Kodiak court documents, 27-year-old Bradford Blondin has pleaded guilty to criminally negligent homicide in the death of 43-year-old Justin McGriff in April 2008.
Blondin agreed Tuesday to the plea deal in exchange for a 10-year sentence with six years suspended. If the judge agrees to the deal at the sentencing hearing in August, two other charges stemming from the hit-and-run will be dropped. Blondin will then serve 10 years probation.
McGriff, a dishwasher at a local restaurant, was living in a tent on Pillar Mountain, on the edge of downtown Kodiak, at the time of his death. He was last seen by a taxi driver who dropped him off on Pillar Mountain Road in the early morning hours. McGriff’s body was found by neighbors around 6:30 that same morning.
The state medical examiner said at the time that McGriff likely would have survived the impact if he had received prompt medical treatment. The coroner ruled the death a homicide.
Police seized Blondin’s truck shortly after the incident, but it took over four years for authorities to charge him, partially due to the long-standing back up at the state crime lab. Blondin was indicted in November 2012.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 27th, where the judge can accept or reject the plea deal between Blondin and the state.
Jay Barrett is the news director at KMXT in Kodiak.
