SANDUSKY — A Peck firefighter who struck and killed a pedestrian with his pickup truck – and lied about it – is set to spend one year in jail.
Adam L. Bullock pleaded guilty June 22 to four crimes in connection with the death of Mary Anna (Schefka) Longuski, 77, of Peck.
The most serious crime – failure to stop at the scene of an accident, when at fault, resulting in death – is a felony carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison.
Bullock’s plea, however, includes a sentence agreement for Bullock to serve one year in jail.
Bullock is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 26 in Sanilac County Circuit Court. Last week he pleaded guilty to three misdemeanors in connection with the Oct. 20, 2020 incident when Longuski was struck by his vehicle, resulting in her death that day.
Prosecutors dismissed three other felony charges.
Longuski was walking in the village of Peck, population 575, when the incident occurred about 3 p.m. at the intersection of Elk Street and East Lapeer Street (M-90) in Peck.
Following the incident, Michigan State Police issued press releases noting they sought a driver in the hit-and-run crash, and – several weeks later – reporting Bullock had turned himself in.
The releases didn’t mention Bullock is a firefighter or that he had lied about the cause of the crash. The Advertiser, acting on a tip and using the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, obtained state police reports noting Bullock is a firefighter for the Elk Township Fire Department, based in Peck.
The reports stated Sanilac County Sheriff Paul Rich – the police chief in Peck at the time of the incident – told state police troopers the incident was captured on two front entrance cameras at the Peck Village Hall.
Sanilac County Prosecutor Brenda S. Sanford stated in a press release last week that “Video evidence of the incident from nearby surveillance cameras proved critical in prosecuting the case, as well as medical records as to the victim’s cause of death.”
State police reports maintain that in the hours after the incident, Bullock told Trooper Alex Buckmaster that Bullock witnessed Longuski “collapse while crossing the roadway.”
Troopers also reported Bullock told them he believed Longuski had a “heart attack or stroke.”
Testimony in court “established that the immediate medical treatment rendered to (Longuski) would have been different had Bullock not lied about what had happened,” according to Sanford.
Bullock used his “work radio” to call for assistance after striking Longuski, according to Sanford, though it isn’t clear if that refers to a firefighter communication device.
Bullock admitted when entering his plea that he told medical first responders and police officers that Longuski had a medical situation and had fallen in the road, Sanford said.
Bullock also didn’t tell responders that he had struck Longuski with his truck, according to Sanford, who noted Bullock had moved his vehicle before arrival of first responders.
The state police reports obtained by The Advertiser indicates another firefighter – from a neighboring township – came to the scene to help Bullock block traffic. The report states the other firefighter told state police that while he assisted Bullock at the scene, Bullock “mentioned several times he was glad (the other firefighter) was there to witness (Longuski) fall.”
Elk Township Fire Department Chief Ernest Kilgus has declined to say if Bullock remains a member of Kilgus’ department.
“It was a bad deal – that’s all I can tell you,” Kilgus told The Advertiser in March, declining further comment.
The Advertiser couldn’t reach Kilgus for comment in the past several days.
Sanford credited Sanilac County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Brenda S. Sanford, who handled multiple court hearings on the Bullock case.
“I am proud of Courtney’s work in holding Bullock accountable for his actions,” Sanford stated. “We hope that this plea will bring some closure to the victim’s family for the irreplaceable loss of their mom.”
