A Hennepin County judge found a Brooklyn Park man not guilty by reason of mental illness in a deadly 2021 hit-and-run killing and a separate 2020 carjacking case.

RELATED: Man charged with intentional second-degree murder in deadly Brooklyn Park crash

According to a court order signed on Tuesday, a Hennepin County judge ruled the state proved all charges against Christopher Dewayne Rice beyond a reasonable doubt. The order says Rice was found not guilty by reason of mental illness in both cases and that his current civil commitment must continue.

The court order says Rice admitted to police he hit 65-year-old Paul Pfeifer with a black Chevrolet Traverse on June 12, 2021, near Scott Circle North in Brooklyn Park and drove away without checking on him. Pfeifer was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

Court records say witnesses saw a black SUV leave the area. A Minnesota State Patrol crash reconstruction report concluded Rice intentionally left the roadway, drove onto a grass area and struck Pfeifer from behind.

The court found was liable for second-degree intentional murder, second-degree murder while committing felony assault and criminal vehicular homicide for leaving the scene. However, court records say a mental health evaluation found Rice was experiencing psychosis and schizophrenia at the time and did not know his acts were wrong.

In the second case, the court order says Brooklyn Park police responded June 15, 2020, to a report of an assault and carjacking near Scott Circle North. Court filings say Rice hit a neighbor, then jumped into a woman’s car and drove off while she was near the open passenger door, injuring her.

Rice later admitted he knew the car was not his and he was told he could not take the car by the victim.

In that case, a judge also found Rice liable for first-degree aggravated robbery, but the same mental health evalution concluded Rice was experiencing psychosis, including hallucinations and delusions, and did not know his acts were wrong.

Rice remains under civil commitment as mentally ill and dangerous under a separate court file, according to the order. The judge ordered that commitment to continue under court supervision.

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