'Random act of violence:' Motorcyclist sentenced for shooting Springfield teen in 2015

A Springfield man was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison for shooting a high school senior he didn't know for no apparent reason in February 2015.

John M. Bicknell IV, 27, shot at a silver Honda Civic from his motorcycle, then chased the car for 10 to 15 minutes throughout Springfield before pulling up alongside it and shooting the driver from only a few feet away, prosecutors said.

The driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

"This just can't be tolerated," Judge David Jones told Bicknell. "You're lucky you're not looking at first-degree murder."

Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Philip Fuhrman said the victim and a female friend were on their way to get fast food the evening of Feb. 6, 2015 when a motorcyclist began following them and shooting at them.

He called the shooting a "random act of violence."

During the hearing, Fuhrman played a tape of the 911 call the female passenger in the car made after Bicknell initially fired his gun.

The 911 dispatcher can be heard attempting to direct them to drive to a Springfield police station, advising them not to speed.

The female passenger tells the dispatcher multiple times the car is being followed by an unknown man on a motorcycle.

"He's shooting at us again," she said. "He's right behind us ... He's still right behind us."

The recording lasted several minutes. Near the end, the male victim can be heard screaming.

"He shot me," he shouted.

According to Fuhrman, Bicknell pointed the gun at the victim, asked "Who the (expletive) do you think you are?" then pulled the trigger.

"It's absolutely terrifying," Fuhrman said. "It's horrifying."

The victim and his family were present at the sentencing. He wrote a letter to the judge but did not speak during the hearing.

Bicknell's attorney, Jon Van Arkel, said his client suffers from mental health issues and a substance abuse problem.

Van Arkel said his client had been taking a mix of prescription drugs and street drugs to self-medicate at the time of the shooting.

Days before the incident, Bicknell's children went to live with other family members, leaving Bicknell distraught, Van Arkel said.

Bicknell's mother spoke at the hearing, saying she was "sorry for what happened."

She said she visits her son every week and he is a different person now.

"(Bicknell is) in a better place now," his mother said, vowing to make sure he would get treatment if he was given probation.

Bicknell spoke at the sentencing, too.

"It's been really hard getting through this," he said. "I just wanna get out and get back to a normal routine."

Bicknell did not mention the shooting or the victim.

After Bicknell was sentenced to 15 years in prison for first-degree assault — which will run concurrently with a three-year sentence for armed criminal action — the judge allowed him to hug his mother.

Bicknell was also ordered to pay more than $4,000 in damages to the victim.