A man who was the passenger in an SUV that was stolen minutes earlier was sentenced last week to slightly over 3-1/12 years for his role in a run in that ended in a high-speed fatal crash.

Taiyon Jennings, 23, was sentenced last Thursday to 43 months to 10 years in prison by Macomb County Circuit Judge Michael Servitto after pleading guilty last December to breaking and entering and larceny for helping his co-defendant steal a Jeep Cherokee four years ago from Jim Riehl’s Friendly Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Romeo in Washington Township.

Jennings and co-defendant Angelo Rickey Smith II, 21, of Detroit, were charged with first- and second-degree murder along with for the April 29, 2021 collision at Van Dyke and 15 Mile Road that killed Emmon Woods, 20.

But Servitto dismissed the murder charges against Jennings last December in response to a filing by defense attorney Sam Churikian concluding Jennings showed no intent to kill or injure anyone, nor did he encourage his co-defendant to do so as an aider and abettor. Servitto also noted there are no other prior cases in Michigan in which a passenger who isn’t involved in the driving is charged for a fatal crash.

The pair was fleeing the theft of the vehicle along with the theft of two Dodge Chargers and a Dodge Challenger from at garage at the dealership at 30 Mile Road and Van Dyke Avenue at about 11 p.m. by a group of five cohorts who broke into the dealership, according to police. The other three individuals that could be detected in surveillance video were not captured.

The Cherokee was going at about 76 mph when it traveled through a red traffic light at the intersection and crashed into Woods’ Chevy Malibu.

A driver of a third vehicle that was struck was injured.

Two police vehicles broke off chases due to the SUV going over 100 mph, officers said.

Following the collision, Jennings immediately fled while Smith had to be pulled out of the crashed vehicle by a first responder. Jennings DNA was found in the Cherokee.

At the sentencing, Servitto rejected Jennings’ request to be penalized under the Holmes Youthful Trainee Act in which the charges would be erased from his public record if he complied with conditions set by the judge.

He also received nearly 18 months of credit for time spent in the county jail.

Smith is scheduled for a hearing Thursday in circuit court at which Servitto will announce his decision on defense attorney Josh Van Laan’s request for his client’s statements to police to be removed from the case.

Smith is also charged with first- and second-degree fleeing police and burglary of a building.

The felony murder charge carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison without parole.

The case’s progress has been slowed somewhat by mental evaluations of Smith.

Smith is being held in lieu of a $500,000 bond.