Man gets 25-year prison sentence for mo-ped death

RALEIGH, N.C. — The Raleigh man who pleaded guilty Monday to second-degree murder and other charges in connection with a July 2007 hit-and-run death will spend a minimum of 25 years in prison.

A judge handed down a maximum 31-year prison sentence to Richard Smart Jr., who also pleaded guilty to assault with a deadly weapon inflicting serious injuries, felony speeding to elude, hit and run with property damage and driving with a revoked license.

Police said Smart fled a July 29 DWI checkpoint at Legend Road and U.S. Highway 401 in Garner and led authorities on a chase on U.S. Highway 70 that eventually ended, killing Christopher Gonzalez-Guittierez, a passenger on a mo-ped.