READING, Pa.—A Pennsylvania man who crashed while fleeing police earlier this year is to spend at least five years in prison for the death of his passenger.

Abelino Rodriguez pleaded guilty to vehicular homicide Tuesday in the death of Kenneth Courter. A third-degree murder charge was dropped as a result of his plea.

Courter was removed from life-support five days after the Feb. 22 crash. Police say Rodriguez threw a brick through a bar window after he and Courter got kicked out. Investigators say he sped away from police before crashing into a minivan.

Rodriguez described victim Courter as like a brother to him and said his actions were a mistake he can't take back. Courter's mother, Patricia Ashley, tells the Reading Eagle ( http://bit.ly/PT6mxt) she has forgiven Rodriguez.

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Information from: Reading Eagle, http://www.readingeagle.com/