Woman who killed man who stole from her car avoids prison time
Mugshot of Landis Rachel Hill. Credit: Ramsey County Sheriff's Office
A woman who ran over and killed a man who stole from the car she and her boyfriend lived in avoided prison time during her sentencing in Ramsey County court on Monday.
Judge JaPaul J. Harris sentenced 31-year-old Landis Rachel Hill to six months of work release at the Ramsey County Correctional Facility after she pleaded guilty to one count of criminal vehicular homicide for the Oct. 5 death of 21-year-old Al Rakip J. Zaidi in St. Paul.
Hill was also ordered to report for 30 days of work release on the anniversary of Zaidi’s death for the next three years. Harris stayed a 57-month prison sentence for eight years provided she comply with the terms of her supervised probation.
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A complaint states Hill told investigators she and her boyfriend were sleeping in the backseat of a Ford Expedition near Eighth and Olive streets when a man, later identified as Zaidi, opened the driver-side door and took a cell phone and cash that were on the front seat. When the couple confronted Zaidi, he reportedly threatened them and ran away with the stolen items.
Hill said she and her boyfriend chased after Zaidi in their vehicle. When they spotted him, Hill’s boyfriend reportedly got out of the vehicle to chase him on foot. Hill reportedly pursued Zaidi while driving the vehicle.
Hill allegedly struck Zaidi “with the center part of the Expedition while traveling at around 40-50 mph.” She then yelled at Zaidi to return the cell phone and cash. Hill later told investigators she was tired of people stealing her things, stating she and her boyfriend had been robbed in the past. Hill said her boyfriend then got back into the Expedition and they drove away.
Hill said she was upset and that her boyfriend convinced her they should report the incident to police. The two drove to police headquarters and made a report, the complaint states.
An autopsy on Zaidi by the Ramsey County medical examiner determined the cause of death was head trauma due to motor vehicle impact.