A Bloomington man who killed a Fridley mother and her children in a car crash while trying to flee police has been sentenced to more than 40 years in prison.

Rufus Onel Victor, 29, was sentenced Thursday for fleeing a state trooper in a stolen car and crashing into another car, killing 29-year-old Amanda Thomas and her sons, ages 12 and 3 months.

The incident, which happened last Dec. 5, started after midnight when Victor refused to stop on Interstate 94 when a Minnesota State Patrol officer tried to pull him over. He exited in north Minneapolis onto Dowling Avenue and smashed into Thomas' car on 2nd Street N. and Broadway. She and her sons were returning home from a Hanukkah celebration.

Judge Allen Oleisky sentenced Victor on Thursday to 496 months in jail after Victor pleaded guilty to the charges. Victor's lawyer had called a psychologist to testify about Victor's personality disorder to show he deserved a more lenient sentence. His family said after last year's incident that Victor had a history of mental problems.

STAFF REPORT