A month in jail, a fine and a big restitution bill are part of the misdemeanor sentence for a Twin Cities woman who sent and received more than 200 text messages in the time leading up to her hitting two motorcycles, killing one of the riders.

Sarah Jo Braith, 21, of Buffalo, was sentenced Monday in Clay County District Court after a jury acquitted her of felony criminal vehicular homicide in February and instead convicted her of careless driving in the death of Angela Pangelinan, 48, of Moorhead, Minn.

Having missed her exit, Braith got off westbound Interstate 94 near Barnesville, Minn., about noon on Aug. 30, 2014, and struck the two motorcycles as she turned left at the top of the ramp, according to authorities. Pangelinan died about a week later.

Michael Pangelinan, who suffered a broken kneecap from the crash, told authorities that "he believed he saw the defendant holding a cellphone in her hand at the time she turned" without making a full stop at the stop sign, the complaint read.

From the time Braith left Buffalo in her car for Alexandria, Minn., she sent and received 240 text messages from 7:26 a.m. to 11:57 a.m., according to a State Patrol investigation. Braith's call to 911 reporting the crash came in at 11:59 a.m. Logged on her phone at 11:57 a.m. were two messages Braith sent and one she received.

County Attorney Brian Melton said during sentencing that Braith's actions cost Pangelinan her life. Her defense has contended that she was not texting at the moment of impact.

Judge Michael Fritz's sentence called for Braith to make nearly $50,000 in restitution to the Pangelinan family and pay a $185 fine. She also was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 60 days stayed. She can serve the time while on work release.

She will be on unsupervised probation for a year, must complete a safe-driving program and have no "portable electronic devices" with her when in a vehicle for the next year.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482