Pasco man who spent months planning to kill random victim gets life sentence

[Zorro]

Justyn Pennell pleaded no contest to a premeditated homicide charge. Authorities say he intentionally hit a 75-year-old man with his car, killing him.

A 24-year-old Pasco County man who told authorities he wanted to know what it was like to kill someone has been sentenced to life in prison for intentionally running over a 75-year-old man he didn’t know — killing him.

Justyn Pennell pleaded no contest Monday to a charge of first-degree premeditated homicide in the Jan. 9, 2020, death of Michael Pratt, a Vietnam veteran and grandfather. A no-contest plea means a defendant is not admitting guilt but will not put on a defense.

At his sentencing hearing Wednesday, Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge Mary Handsel adjudicated Pennell guilty. In a video from Court TV, Pennell is seen standing with his head down while Handsel handed down the life sentence.

“This is a tragedy that is felt by both families today,” Handsel said. “What you did was a lifetime sentence to yourself, your mother, your sister and to the Pratt family.”

During a Jan. 10, 2020, news conference, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said Pennell was running errands in his Chrysler PT Cruiser, when he saw Pratt walking on Aripeka Road, near Old Dixie Highway, around 2:45 p.m. According to detectives, Pennell told them he decided that was his chance to kill a random person — something he’d been wanting to do for months.

Pennell drove past Pratt, did a U-turn and headed straight at him. Pratt tried to get out of his path, but Pennell’s vehicle struck the 75-year-old and he died at the scene, Nocco said.

https://www.tampabay.com/news/breaking-news/2022/03/23/pasco-man-who-spent-months-planning-to-kill-random-victim-gets-life-sentence/

[LakeArenal]

1. Isn't that legal there?

Oh wait, he made a u-turn...