A man who was fleeing St. Paul police at speeds of more than 100 miles per hour when he slammed into parked cars and maimed two bystanders was sentenced Tuesday in Ramsey County District Court to 21 months in prison.
Wendell R. Jones, 22, of Roseville, a known Selby Side gang member, is currently serving a 13-year federal prison sentence for crack cocaine trafficking.
According to court documents, police had set up a drug-buying sting for Jones on Aug. 27, 2008. When officers tried to arrest him, he fled, striking a police car.
During his flight, Jones threw crack cocaine out of the window, hit another vehicle and lost control of his car, striking yet another vehicle.
Two bystanders standing between a number of parked cars, including one that Jones' vehicle struck, were injured so severely that each had to have a leg amputated.
The victims were Mari Plaster and her boyfriend, Daniel Sanford. Both had been at a 21st birthday celebration for Plaster that night with about a dozen friends and family members at Schroeder's Bar & Grill near Como Avenue and Dale Street. They were hit as they were trying to put birthday gifts in the trunk.
Schroeder's server Roy Schultz said the crash "looked like a bomb went off. Four cars were totaled and spread all over the street."
Police said at the time that the chase lasted less than three minutes and ended before officers could consider whether to break off their pursuit.
Jones pleaded guilty last month to two counts of fleeing police in a motor vehicle resulting in great bodily harm. He pleaded guilty to the federal charge in January and was sentenced last month.
District Judge John Guthmann ordered him to serve his state prison sentence after his federal sentence is completed. The judge also fined Jones $4,200 and ordered him to pay restitution.
Plaster, her father, his wife and Sanford last month sued the city of St. Paul and the police officers involved in the case, claiming the police negligently chased Jones and "created an unreasonable risk to the public."
The suit also contends that the city didn't adequately train its officers in conducting pursuits.
The four plaintiffs are seeking the standard "in excess of $50,000" each.
Pat Pheifer • 612-741-4992
