KALISPELL — A man accused of driving over and killing a man in a fatal vehicle incident in Kalispell last August was formally sentenced in Flathead County District Court Wednesday morning.
Jeffrey Serio was sentenced to 100 years in the Montana State Prison and ordered to pay $6,160 in restitution.
In May, a 12-person jury ruled unanimously that Serio was guilty on one charge of deliberate homicide.
Serio is accused of driving over and killing Raymond Grigg on Grigg’s property last August.
Serio pleaded not guilty last September to the charge of deliberate homicide.
During closing arguments in the jury trial, the county attorneys addressed the jury, saying Serio’s deliberate choices made him the original aggressor, using his car as a deadly weapon to run over Grigg, saying Grigg was justified in drawing his weapon.
“He’s driving a 5,000 pound vehicle bouncing all around, he himself says he can’t see at times, he’s getting jostled around he has no control of the car, that is unsafe, and what happens when that vehicle comes in contact with a person, it kills them, that’s what happens, that’s the threat,” said Deputy County Attorney Ashley Frechette.
Serio’s attorney Alisha Rapkoch said her client was not the aggressor but acting out of fear and self-defense after Grigg started shooting at his vehicle.
“In those moments and in this tragedy, Jeffrey was defending himself and he was justified,” said Rapkoch.
Court documents state that last August, law enforcement responded to a report of a suspicious male, later identified as Serio, on Grigg's property.
After being warned to leave, Serio left on foot, but deputies later heard a vehicle accelerating rapidly through a cornfield.
A witness said they heard Serio's vehicle hit something, as well as gunshots.
Law enforcement reported finding Grigg trapped underneath the vehicle, according to court documents.
Serio was identified as the driver.
Five shell casings were found at the scene, along with two rounds that struck the front of Serio's vehicle.
