Minnesota Man Sentenced to 47 Years in Hit-and-Run of Couple

HASTINGS, Minn. (AP) -- A Minnesota man convicted of second-degree murder for plowing his minivan into a married couple has been sentenced to 47 years in prison.

Thirty-eight-year-old Jonna Kojo Armartey was sentenced Friday in connection with the crash that killed 58-year-old Diane Peterson and 74-year-old Roger Peterson of Eagan last year near a strip mall. The couple died after being taken to the hospital.

Authorities say Armartey deliberately used his vehicle as a weapon to target two complete strangers.

Armartey pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree murder in August 2018.

The criminal complaint says Armartey told investigators the couple "freaked him out" so he ran them over.

Armartey was on probation for three felony convictions at the time.