Ballplayer's Cousin Makes Plea Deal
Wilfredo Pujols Pleads Guilty In Death Of Teen
POSTED: 5:17 pm CST December 8,
2008
UPDATED: 6:07 pm CST December 8,
2008
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A last-minute plea deal means a man accused of killing a Kansas City metropolitan area teen will not go on trial.Prosecutors were set to begin jury selection Monday morning in the murder trial of Wilfredo J. Pujols Jr., when he suddenly agreed to the plea deal.The 25-year-old from Independence, Mo., is the cousin of St. Louis Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols.In November 2007, Wilfredo Pujols hit another car and then took off, according to authorities.Police gave chase and as they sped down Noland Road, Wilfredo Pujols ran a red light at Osage and slammed into 17-year-old Chris Cooper, according to investigators.Cooper was crossing the street on his bike.The impact killed the Truman High School junior.Wilfredo Pujols kept going, as did police, and they eventually took Wilfredo Pujols into custody when he and his passenger bailed out of his car, according to authorities.Wilfredo Pujols pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, resisting arrest and two counts of fleeing the scene of a motor vehicle accident. He could be sentenced to up to 80 years in prison.Wilfredo Pujols family declined comment. Cooper's mother said she and others were instructed to not make any comment until Wilfredo Pujols is officially sentenced on April 23.
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