Man Sentenced to 27 Years to Life In Prison in Grisly Crash Near Venice-Mar Vista

LOS ANGELES, CA -- A motorist who was fleeing from police in the Palms area of Los Angeles when he crashed a stolen car into a 15-year-old pedestrian, who was decapitated, was sentenced Monday to 27 years to life in prison.

Paul Randolf Brumfield Jr., 50, was convicted March 24 of one count each of second-degree murder, gross vehicular manslaughter, hit-and-run driving resulting in death and driving or taking a vehicle without consent. Jurors also found true an allegation of leaving the scene.

A police officer who spotted Brumfield driving the stolen Buick LeSabre on Nov. 15, 2015, was waiting for backup to make a traffic stop when the driver ran over Jack Phoenix while speeding at more than 90 miles per hour, according to prosecutors.

The teen was crossing the street at Venice Boulevard and Hughes Avenue, and prosecutors said Brumfield didn't brake after running him down.

Brumfield was arrested the day after the crash for an unrelated car burglary. The stolen car was located four days later with the victim's head inside, covered a comforter, according to trial testimony.

The boy's father said his son was an aspiring artist with more than 100 pieces of work under his pen name, "Sake."

-- City News Service, photo via Shutterstock