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Virginia Beach woman sentenced to 22 years for running over, killing friend in 2014

Posted at 1:44 PM, Feb 21, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-21 16:23:44-05

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A Virginia Beach woman convicted of killing a man in the parking lot of Plaza Middle School in 2014 has been sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Sarah E. Flanders: 2nd degree Murder

Sarah E. Flanders: 2nd degree Murder

On September 20, 2014 around 5:20 a.m., Sarah Flanders hit Richard Pentz with a Dodge Durango while in the parking lot of Plaza Middle School. As Flanders left the area, she told two Dominion Virginia 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.

Pentz was found in the parking lot suffering from life threatening injuries and later died at the hospital from blunt force trauma to the torso.

Flanders was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in his death. Pentz's blood was found on the driver's side front bumper of the Durango.

According to court records, Flanders and Pentz were friends. Just days before Pentz was killed, police found Flanders and 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 the Durango.

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 was found guilty in February of 2016.

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