LAKEPORT, Calif. – A man convicted last month of ramming a Clearlake Police officer with a vehicle was sentenced on Tuesday to more than 100 years in state prison.
Judge Andrew Blum gave Daniel Alan York, 54, a sentence of 96 years to life, plus 25 years determinate as specified by statute, for a total of 121 years to life, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe.
Last month a jury convicted York of five felonies charges, including assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, hit and run causing injury, vandalism and auto theft with a prior conviction, plus the jury found true special allegations of great bodily injury on all of those five counts.
The jury deadlocked on an attempted murder count that later was dismissed, as Lake County News has reported.
A lengthy, three-decade criminal record that included drug, weapons, vehicle theft and other convictions across Lake, Nevada and Sonoma counties resulted in Judge Blum also finding that York had prior serious or violent felonies and seven prior prison terms.
York was convicted of ramming an SUV into Clearlake Police Officer Tom Riley at Redbud Park on the morning of Sept. 22, 2013.
Riley suffered serious injuries – including a fractured spine, broken ribs, and head and neck lacerations, police reported – and was flown out to a regional trauma center for treatment.
York fled the scene and was arrested later that day.
York's sentencing originally had been scheduled for Oct. 20. However, on that day, York appeared in court with a handwritten motion for a new trial and made an attempt to fire his trial defense attorney, Barry Melton.
The result was that the court had to consider the new trial motion, which took place on Oct. 20, continued the following day and then was continued to Tuesday.
The breakdown of the sentence York received includes 27 years to life plus 22 years for assault on an officer; 25 years to life plus 22 years on the count of threatening an officer, which was stayed since it was considered as the same as the assault on an officer; hit and run with injury, 25 years to life, plus 22 years; 25 years for felony vandalism; and 25 years for auto theft with a prior, Grothe said.
Grothe said the vandalism and auto theft counts will run concurrent to each other, but consecutive to all other counts.
Melton told Lake County News that York intends to appeal the decision.
“I'll be filing an appeal on his behalf,” Melton said Tuesday afternoon.
Melton noted that York's was a “relatively lengthy trial.” A number of issues were presented during trial and sentencing which will be the basis of York's appeal, he said.
“This is the last word on the case for the time being from the superior court,” Melton said, adding, “The whole matter will be reviewed.”
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Man convicted of assaulting officer sentenced to more than a century in prison
- Elizabeth Larson
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