A husband in Michigan was caught poisoning his wife’s coffee, yet he somehow got off with a super light sentence.
46-year-old Brian Kozlowski pleaded guilty to the felony charge last year, however, the case never went to trial. If it had, he could have been facing up to 15 years in jail.
Instead, a plea deal was reached, and now he’ll only serve 60 days in prison. His lax sentence will also only be served on weekends.
Kozlowski’s wife Therese started to become suspicious after feeling tired and nauseated every time her husband prepared her morning coffee. She also complained of blurred vision, and detailed one instance where she nearly fell asleep driving to work.
The issues began in May of 2018, just after she filed for divorce. By July, she’d set up hidden cameras and caught him in the act.
It turned out Kozlowski had been secretly putting antihistamines in his wife’s morning cup of joe. Upon learning of her husband’s actions, she immediately moved out of the family home.
Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith called his actions “despicable.”
Though spiking someone’s coffee with antihistamines may not sound as insidious as “poisoning,” it’s important to consider the dosage.
The last cup of contaminated coffee Kozlowski served his wife was analyzed and found to contain a hefty dose of diphenhydramine. The recommended dose for adults is between 25-50mg, and even that can cause drowsiness.
The last cup of tainted coffee, however, was found to have 127 milliliters of the stuff. That’s more than 315mg.
“We are all thankful this sneak attack didn’t cause the victim to fall asleep behind the wheel on her way to work killing herself and/or innocent drivers,” said Smith.
On one occasion, the couple’s daughter ingested the dosed coffee and nearly did fall asleep while driving to work, too.
Despite concerns that Kozlowski’s tampering with his wife’s coffee could have led to serious consequences, the visiting judge was incredibly lenient.
Smith has since argued that the sentence is far below the guidelines laid out for such a crime. He also called it a “slap in the face” to Kozlowski’s ex – as well as the justice system itself.
Smith plans to appeal the sentence. He claims the court was more concerned with Kozlowski’s “freedom and ability to continue work” than the victim’s safety.
The couple had been married for 22 years and share three kids together. Recalling the moment she discovered her husband’s actions, she said she felt like she was in a “nightmare.”
