Man sent on rider program for aggravated assault
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IDAHO FALLS — A judge sentenced a man who tried running over a person with a vehicle.
District Judge Bruce Pickett placed 37-year-old Lance E. Dalton into a rider program on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty to felony aggravated assault. As part of a plea agreement with Bonneville County prosecutors, misdemeanor charges of malicious injury to property and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed.
A rider is when a judge sends a person to prison for up to a year to undergo different treatment programs. When the inmate has completed the program, the judge can then decide to send them back to prison or release them on probation.
Pickett gave an underlying two to five-year prison sentence that could be served if Dalton is unsuccessful at the rider.
Bonneville County Sheriff’s deputies’ reports show that in September, law enforcement was called to the 600 North block of Eden Drive because a man was dumping gasoline on the property and threatening to light it. While en route, deputies learned that Dalton was trying to back over the homeowner in a vehicle.
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Deputies spoke with the victim and observed security footage from the home showing Dalton pouring gasoline on a vehicle and property followed by two attempts at backing over the victim and hitting a utility trailer, according to a news release.
The victim sustained minor injuries.
An Idaho State Police trooper found Dalton and a woman near Eastview and Virlow Drive in Idaho Falls. Deputies arrived there and detained Dalton and his passenger, identified as 26-year-old Caussandra E. Taylor of Idaho Falls.
A K-9 alerted on the vehicle, and deputies found drug paraphernalia and two baggies with just over 6 grams of methamphetamine.
“Taylor admitted to deputies on the scene that the methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia belonged to her,” deputies said in a news release. “A jacket worn by Dalton was found to have used syringes and items of drug paraphernalia that he told deputies belonged to him.”
Taylor was charged with felony possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. She pleaded not guilty and has a jury trial scheduled for Feb. 16.
In addition to the time in custody, Pickett ordered Dalton to pay $1,745.50 in fees and fines.