A woman charged in a carjacking that led to the death of the owner of Gus Gus Fun Bus Mike Arnold was sentenced Wednesday to 15 years in federal prison.
Jana Stowers, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the carjacking. Earlier this month, Curtis Alford, 22, was sentenced to 20 years for his role in the crime.
In June 2018, Alford and Stowers carjacked two women and struck two men, including Arnold, while speeding away from the scene.
According to charging documents, Alford and Stowers approached two women who had just parked a truck along the 700 block of Chestnut for the "Taste of Downtown STL."
Police said Alford pepper-sprayed the victims. He took the key from the belt loop of one of the women and drove off in the truck.
One of the victims tried to stop Alford as he started the engine, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office. He shoved her out of the way and began to pull away from the curb.
Arnold witnessed the carjacking and was trying to take a photo of the incident. Alford drove toward Arnold, who tried to get away, but he got pinned under the truck, the release said. Alford hit another man who was on a sidewalk.
He then picked up Stowers around the corner and continued to drive toward a group of pedestrians and officers. He crashed the truck.
Police arrested Alford and Stowers at the scene.
Arnold, who owned Gus Gus Fun Bus, died just days after the attack.
Christine Byers contributed to this report.
