Driver who hit, killed woman sentenced

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - The driver who struck a woman and left her to die outside Buffalo's Broadway Market will serve time behind bars. The judge didn't hold back at Thursday's sentencing.

It can sometimes be difficult to tell one court proceeding from another, but that wasn't the case on Thursday. Judge Kenneth Case took a little extra time in sentencing Michael Held, who struck and killed 48-year-old April Smith in October last year. Judge Case made it clear what he thinks of the the 32-year-old before sentencing him to two-and-a-third to seven years behind bars.

"What you did on October 2nd of last year is one of the most inhumane, despicable acts I think that you could have done. To not stop and attempt to render some sort of aid to this woman is unconscionable. I hope that you can see the pain that you have inflicted on these people that are sitting here today," said Judge Case.

Held never stopped when after hitting and killing Smith.

Judge Case added, "You not only didn't render aid, you left her there and went to get your SUV repaired."

Teresa Smith, April Smith's daughter, said, "I finally got my life together and she was so proud of me and she'll never see me walk across the stage and get my associate's degree"

Teresa then focused her comments directly on the man who took her mother's life, stating, "Mr. Held, going to jail is not going to bring back my mother, but hopefully the next time he decides to be careless and get behind the wheel of a car drunk, he'll think about the life he took."

Outside the courtroom, April Smith's brother, Langston Austin, commented on a brief statement Michael Held made in court, which he called "remorseless."

"He's worried about going to prison; that's all that's on his mind. I just spent 23 years in prison for assault and I just got out to see him sentenced. I spent 23 years for assault. He murdered somebody and he's going to do two-and-a-third. That's not fair," Austin said.