A jury in St. Clair County has cleared Justin Simon of causing a Port Huron teacher’s death in a drunk driving crash but found him guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, leading to serious injury. Simon admitted to causing the October accident, which left Ashley Nisbett hospitalized. His lawyer argued the hospital played a role in her death, but the prosecution said Simon was responsible since the crash put her there. Simon will be sentenced on Nov. 26, facing up to five years in prison.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Donald Rivard, a 44-year-old from Sarnia, is set to begin a four-year prison sentence for fentanyl trafficking. He was one of nine arrested last fall during police raids in Lambton and Middlesex counties. Rivard expressed frustration in court, stating his co-accused had their charges dropped after he pleaded guilty. Rivard was arrested with fentanyl, meth, and $400 in cash. He claims the drugs were for personal use, not for sale. His girlfriend, Carly Timms, had her charges dismissed. Despite his plea deal, Rivard faces additional charges in Newmarket.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Instagram is introducing new safety measures for teens, automatically placing current and future teen users into a Teen Account. This feature limits who can contact them, filters offensive content, and encourages app breaks after an hour of use. Sleep Mode is also enabled by default to mute notifications at night. Parents now have more control with options to monitor activity, set time limits, and block the app. These changes aim to improve teen safety following concerns from lawmakers about social media’s impact on young users.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

Kevin Totty Sr. was honored by a large crowd at his funeral in Kimball Township on Wednesday. The Grace Memorial Life Celebration Center overflowed with people, with guests filling every seat and standing room, even spilling outside. An overflow room was set up but quickly filled as well. Totty, 64, passed away after battling cancer and was remembered for his extensive volunteer work in the Blue Water Area. From delivering meals to mentoring at-risk youth, his impact was felt by many during difficult times.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet

In Burtchville Township, Lisa Tramski, 57, was sentenced to one year of probation for embezzling money from a woman she once cared for. St. Clair County Judge Daniel Damman gave Tramski a lighter sentence because she repaid the stolen funds and had no prior criminal record. Tramski had been a guardian for Pauline Runyon, who left her money in a new will made shortly before her death. The state argued Tramski influenced Runyon to change her will, but Tramski repaid $51,600.75 and admitted to embezzlement in a plea deal.

Reporting for WGRT – JP bZet