ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis County teenager at fault in a deadly crash two years ago avoided jail time in his sentence on Wednesday.

A St. Louis Circuit judge sentenced Vincent Wallace, 18, to three years of a youth detention program and five years of probation in the case.

Wallace pleading guilty to felony charges in the case last year. He was 16 years old at the time of the crash, though stood trial as an adult.

Investigators say Wallace was driving a stolen vehicle on Aug. 7, 2021, when police approached him. Rather than pulling over, Wallace sped away from the scene, sped at least 60 mph and struck a pickup truck at Evans and Vandeventer avenues. Derrick Johnson, 53, was inside the pickup truck and died from his injuries.

A judge told Wallace there were two reasons for the lenient sentence. His age at the time of the crash was one consideration. Also, Jackson’s sister had testified that her family forgave Wallace and said they were okay with a decision to not send him to prison, per court documents.

Wallace faced charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action, vehicle tampering and resisting arrest in the case. The St. Louis Judicial Circuit’s Office says Wallace could spend up to 10 years in prison if he violates terms of probation.