Former National Hockey League (NHL) player Rob Ramage was sentenced to four years in prison Thursday for a fatal 2003 crash that killed a former Chicago Blackhawks player.

 

Ramage's car slammed head-on into the car of Keith Magnuson on December 15, 2003 just north of Toronto, causing Magnuson's death. A later test showed Ramage had up to four times the legal blood-alcohol limit at the time of the crash.

 

The judge called the accident tragic and senseless, saying the sentence was meant to send a message of general deterrence to the public.

 

Ramage will also be banned from driving for five years after finishing the sentence.

 

Ramage spent 15 years in the NHL with eight teams, winning Stanley Cup finals with the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 18, 2008)