A Pickford man will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a judge on Tuesday sentenced him to 60 to 90 years for the crash that killed 20-year-old Lake Superior State University student and hockey player Katie Robinson. The sentence follows a January jury conviction that found Tanner Dunbar Harrison guilty of second-degree murder in the high-speed collision.
According to ClickOnDetroit, Harrison was ordered to serve 60 to 90 years in the Michigan Department of Corrections after jurors returned their guilty verdict earlier this year.
Crash and pursuit
Local reporting and the prosecutor's release state that the chain of events began on June 17, 2021, when multiple 911 callers reported a dual-wheel Ford F-350 driving aggressively on M-129 near Pickford and forcing other vehicles off the road. Witnesses told investigators the driver grabbed a tire iron and threw it at another vehicle, and deputies who followed the truck recorded speeds in excess of 90 mph.
The pursuit ended when the pickup rear-ended Robinson’s Volkswagen Beetle on Ashmun Street at roughly 88 mph. Emergency responders pronounced Robinson dead at the scene after the truck also struck a parked car and crashed into the Great Lakes Recovery Center, according to WNMU.
Jury heard witnesses and exhibits
The trial lasted five days, with jurors hearing testimony from about three dozen witnesses and reviewing dozens of exhibits before reaching a verdict, local outlets reported. Chippewa County Sheriff Michael Bitnar later praised investigators and prosecutors, calling the case complex and thanking officers and detectives for their work, according to EUP News.
Why the case took years
Prosecutors say the case took nearly five years to reach trial because Harrison suffered injuries in the crash and was later ruled incompetent to stand trial, a delay that lasted almost two years before his competency was restored and the charge was authorized. ClickOnDetroit also reported that Harrison was out on bond in three separate cases at the time of the 2021 incident.
Remembering Robinson
Robinson's family and community continue to honor her memory. An annual memorial girls’ hockey tournament raises money for a scholarship fund and supports the Diane Peppler Resource Center, which serves survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Organizers and more information are listed at the Katie Robinson Showcase, and local coverage has described how proceeds are being used to carry forward her legacy.
Penalty under Michigan law
Under Michigan law, second-degree murder carries a maximum penalty of life in prison or any term of years at the court's discretion, a statute that allows for the kind of lengthy term the judge imposed in this case, per the Michigan Legislature. The 60 to 90 year sentence falls within that statutory range and effectively ensures Harrison will spend the remainder of his life in prison.
Local authorities and the prosecutor’s office extended condolences to Robinson’s family and credited multiple law enforcement agencies for their roles in the investigation, as reported by regional outlets. For many in the eastern Upper Peninsula, the sentence closes a long and painful chapter while Robinson’s memory, and the tournament that bears her name, remain focal points for family, friends and the broader hockey community.
