The man who served as the getaway driver in last year’s shooting at a Dowagiac apartment complex will be given a chance to straighten out his life and avoid prison.

In his first docket of Friday sentencing hearings since taking the bench, new Circuit Court Judge Mark Herman sentenced 31-year-old Nathan Patrick McCann, of St. Joseph, to three years of probation during his appearance in Cass County court, on charges of carrying a concealed weapon, accessory after the fact to a felony and maintaining a drug house. As part of his probation, McCann was ordered to complete the Twin County drug treatment program.

McCann was arrested in connection with the shooting that occurred at the Eagle’s Trace Apartments complex in Dowagiac during the early morning hours of April 11, 2016. The shooting occurred following a dispute over drugs between a resident of the complex and suspected gunman, Benton Harbor’s Karl
Ross Jr.

Ross returned to Eagle’s Trace a few hours later and fired off several shots into an apartment of Troy and Sara Wallace, who had no relation to the person Ross had fought with earlier. No one was injured in the shooting.

McCann volunteered to drive the shooter to Dowagiac from Benton Harbor earlier that day, with Ross promising to give the man heroin in exchange for the ride, Herman said. Ross fired at the apartment from the inside of McCann’s vehicle, with the latter transporting the other man from the scene to another location after the incident.

“I want you to appreciate the fact that, but for the grace of God, you could be sitting here today as an accessory to murder, and facing possible life in prison,” Herman said, addressing the defendant in court Friday. “I hope you truly understand that.”

Following the shooting, McCann kept to himself until he was contacted by police. The man cooperated fully with the police’s investigation into the incident, which led the prosecutor’s office to cut a deal with him for a reduced sentence for his participation, Herman said.

“I think you were scared by what happened and realized you could have been easily placed in a situation where you could be killed,” the judge said.

As part of his probation sentence, McCann will have the chance to receive treatment for his addiction to heroin.

Prior to delivering McCann’s sentence, Herman read several letters written by the man’s children that were sent to the court, with the children saying they miss their father and wanted him to return soon.

“Trust me, if you do not change your ways, your children will grow up and follow your example,” Herman said. “I do not want, in 10 years, to send children who can write letters like this to prison.”

Also sentenced Friday:

• Tina Marie Rosen, 44, of Marcellus, to two years of probation for methamphetamine-related charges.

• Gary Dude Grady, 54, of Dowagiac, to 180 days in jail for possession of cocaine.

• Anthony Darnell Tartt-Smith, 27, of Dowagiac, to 18 months of probation for possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.