Maple Grove man sentenced to 3.5 years for fatal Dinkytown crash

Emily Baude KSTP

Courtesy of Hennepin County Jail

A Maple Grove man learned his future on Thursday after being convicted in connection with a fatal, drunken driving crash that killed a 24-year-old University of Minnesota researcher.

Kenneth Damon Spencer Jr., 26, was sentenced to 3.5 years(42 months).

Court records show Spencer Jr. was initially charged in December 2022 via warrant with two counts of criminal vehicular homicide for driving while impaired and in a grossly negligent manner.

A criminal complaint says the crash happened shortly after 2 a.m. on Nov. 18 at the intersection of University Avenue and 10th Avenue Southeast. When police got to the scene, they found Ebony Allaya Miller, 24, from Rochester, trapped in her car. She had to be extricated and died at the scene.

The complaint noted that Spencer Jr. was driving nearly 75 mph and ran a red light when he hit Miller’s vehicle, which had pulled into the intersection during a green light. The speed limit in the area is 30 mph.

At the scene, Spencer Jr. allegedly admitted that he was drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana before driving, according to court records. A blood draw later showed his alcohol concentration was almost twice the legal limit to drive.

Additionally, court documents note that Spencer had a prior impaired driving conviction, and his license was revoked at the time of the crash.