A judge on Friday sentenced a 48-year-old Gladstone man to life in prison without parole for the murder of a man and the serious injury of a woman in a hit-and-run crash that allegedly was motivated by a romantic rejection, according to the Clay County Prosecutor’s Office.

A Clay County jury previously found Michael W. Myers guilty of first-degree murder in the killing 36-year-old James Pettijohn of Gladstone, who was fatally struck by Myer’s pickup truck in April 2019. The jury also found Myers guilty of first-degree assault and two counts of armed criminal action.

The crash happened as Pettijohn and a woman, the other person injured in the crash, were outside in the parking lot of the ARC Thrift Store at 7400 North Oak Trafficway in Gladstone.

Myers saw the woman, stopped his truck, turned around and intentionally ran them over, prosecutors alleged. Myers fled from the scene and Gladstone police sought public’s help finding the truck.

During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence including the woman’s DNA found on the truck and surveillance footage of the incident.

The woman testified in court that she had declined Myers’ romantic advances.

“This sentence sends an unmistakable message to violent criminals that this kind of behavior will not be tolerated in Clay County,” said Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson. “Our office will continue to advocate for victims and ensure that defendants are held accountable. We are thankful the judge handed down a strong sentence and showed our criminal justice system works.”