A judge sentenced a D.C. man to more than 15 years for hitting a police officer with this car.
Kevin Burno, 26, struck Patrol Officer Sean Hickman with his 1991 Lexus sedan in southeast D.C. in March 2013, the Metropolitan Police Department said in a release. A jury found him guilty of nine counts in July, including assault with a deadly weapon, Mark Segraves reported.
Burno seriously injured Hickman after the officer gestured that the car’s headlights were off, acting U.S. Attorney Vincent Cohen said. Hickman’s scooter was then struck, and he landed on the sidewalk, unable to move as the car sped away.
“For no reason whatsoever, Kevin Burno intentionally and recklessly ran Officer Hickman down before fleeing the scene. This case is another reminder of the dangers of police work, and the community will be much safer with this defendant behind bars for the next 15 years,” Cohen said.
"We’re very happy, very happy with the way it went," Hickman said. "Now I can close this chapter for now and move on. Things are good."
Burno continues to maintain his innocence and disrupted sentencing Thursday, interrupting the judge and calling the prosecutor a liar, Segraves reported. At one point, U.S. marshals forcibly removed him from the courtroom.
Hickman wanted to promote a safe environment in D.C., Police Chief Cathy Lanier said.
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“Officer Sean Hickman, originally a second-grade teacher, became a police officer to serve and protect citizens of the District of Columbia,” Lanier said.
Officer Hickman still has limited mobility in his left leg more than seven months later. He has had 20 surgeries and told the judge he is still in danger of losing his leg because the injuries were so traumatic, Segraves reported.
During the trial, prosecutors had offered Burno a plea deal of just three years. He will be on supervised release for five years after he serves his prison term.
"I'm glad the sentencing went the way it did," Lanier said. "I'm glad it's over for Sean, but it's not really over for Sean. The rest of his life will be different, but I'm glad that part is over."
