Derrick Thompson sentenced to nearly 59 years in prison

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A Minnesota antheral convicted and sentenced successful a 2023 high-speed clang that killed 5 young women volition service adjacent much clip successful prison, a justice ruled this week.

Derrick Thompson, 29, was convicted successful July of 5 counts of third-degree execution and 10 counts of transgression vehicular homicide for a clang that killed 5 young women.

The clang occurred connected the nighttime of June 16, 2023, connected Interstate 35W successful southbound Minneapolis. A authorities trooper testified they were pursuing Thompson without exigency lights activated and saw him velocity disconnected onto East Lake Street, wherever helium struck and instantly killed the 5 women, tribunal documents show.

The victims were Sahra Gesaade, 20; Salma Abdikadir, 20; Sabiriin Ali, 17; Sagal Hersi, 19; and Siham Odhowa, 19. The radical of friends was preparing for a friend's wedding astatine the clip of the crash.

According to tribunal documents, Thompson topped speeds of 100 mph portion driving erratically. Police recovered a loaded handgun wrong his rented vehicle, successful summation to much than 2,000 fentanyl pills and different narcotics, according to the transgression complaint.

During his trial, Thompson's defence argued his member was really down the wheel. Damarco Thompson testified helium wasn't successful the Cadillac during the crash, and was lone concisely wrong erstwhile his member rented it astir 30 minutes earlier astatine Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Also Wednesday, successful national court, Derrick Thompson was sentenced to 14 years successful situation connected further fentanyl and firearm-related charges. Last July, Judge Carolina A. Lamas sentenced him to 58 years and 8 months. Because immoderate of the clip volition beryllium served concurrently, helium is expected to stay successful situation for astir 64 years total.

Derrick Thompson is the lad of erstwhile Minnesota State Rep. John Thompson, who served 1 word representing St. Paul's District 67A earlier losing reelection.

Stephen Swanson, Beret Leone, Adam Duxter and Aki Nace contributed to this report.

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