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Virginia Beach woman convicted running over and killing friend in 2014 hit and run

Posted at 1:22 PM, Feb 09, 2016
and last updated 2016-02-10 14:17:15-05

Virginia Beach, Va. - A Virginia Beach woman, Sarah Flanders, was convicted Tuesday of second-degree murder and felony hit and run for the 2014 death of a man who was run over in the parking lot of Plaza Middle School.

Sarah E. Flanders

Sarah E. Flanders

On September 18th, 2014, officers found Flanders and Richard Pentz arguing on the side of the road. Both declined assistance from the officer and left separately. Pentz was on a bicycle and Flanders drove away in a red Dodge Durango.

Police say two days later on September 20th at around 5:20 a.m. Flanders hit Pentz with the Durango in the parking lot of Plaza Middle School. Pentz was found  suffering from life-threatening injuries and later died at the hospital from blunt force trauma to the torso.

On her way out of the parking lot, police say she told two Virginia Dominion Power employees who were working in the area that a man was bleeding to death in the parking lot and it looked like he'd been hit by a car. The employees called rescue and were able to give officers a description of Flanders' vehicle.

Flanders was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in his death. According to court records, Flanders and Pentz were friends.

Police determined that the victim's blood was on the driver's side front bumper of the vehicle.

Flanders has been convicted previously for hit and run with injury, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, possession of controlled paraphernalia, statutory burglary and petit larceny.

She was directly indicted on the second degree murder charge and a charge of felony hit and run in May of 2015.

She is scheduled to be sentenced on June 8th where she faces the maximum penalty of 50 years in prison for both charges.

It is expected that Flanders' attorneys will appeal the conviction to the Virginia Court of Appeals.

RELATED: 

Woman charged with murder after allegedly hitting man with vehicle at Plaza Middle School

UPDATE: Police identify man hit by car in Plaza Middle School parking lot