Huntington man sentenced for killing girl while fleeing from police, prosecutors said

A Huntington driver was sentenced Thursday to 4 to 12 years for killing a girl riding in a minivan and injuring her two companions while fleeing from police, the Brooklyn District Attorney's office said.

Kenneth Palache, 63, had pleaded guilty three weeks ago to one count of second-degree manslaughter and two counts of second-degree assault in the May 4, 2014 crash that killed Rebecca Ramnarine, 9, of Jamaica, and seriously injured her best friend, Faith Cummings, 11, and Faith's mother, Esther Cummings.

The crash was one of three he caused in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn as he drove with a suspended license, police had said.

He took off after running a red light at the intersection of Foster Avenue and East 87th Street, then hit an SUV carrying a family of five, including three children, causing minor injuries to all, authorities said.

Police stopped him about a mile away, but Palache then sped off again, struck another vehicle and ran another red light while going at more than 50 mph, authorities said.

The Hyundai minivan carrying Rebecca was stopped at a red light when Palache's Honda rear-ended it.

"Every day that he serves in prison will be a reminder of the innocent young life that he's destroyed," District Attorney Ken Thompson said in a news release.

Palache had faced a maximum of 5 to 15 years if convicted at trial. His attorney was not immediately available Thursday afternoon.