Man who assaulted officer with car gets 8 years in prison

Monday, Nov. 2, 2009 | 5:01 p.m.

A Las Vegas man who rammed his Honda Accord into a U.S. Immigration and Customs detention officer who was approaching his car was sentenced today to eight years in federal prison and three years of supervised release.

Lon Allen Clark, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James C. Mahan to the maximum amount of prison time that could be imposed for a conviction for assaulting, resisting and impeding a federal officer, said U.S. Attorney Daniel G. Bogden of Nevada.

The court also found that Clark was a career offender because of the nature of the offense, plus the fact that Clark had at least two previous felony convictions of either a violent crime or controlled substance offense, Bogden said.

Clark pleaded guilty Aug. 8. A restitution hearing is set for Dec. 1.

Several U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention officers were investigating a fugitive on San Marcos Street when they saw a parked Honda Accord with a man behind the wheel on Sept. 17, 2008. The officers thought the Honda might be part of their investigation, so one officer pulled his sport utility vehicle in front of the Honda and turned on his emergency lights.

A second ICE vehicle pulled up behind the ICE SUV and turned on its emergency lights. An ICE officer left the SUV and approached the Honda Accord on foot, police said.

The ICE officer's badge was visible around his neck, but the Honda driver drove the car directly at the ICE officer, hitting him and the SUV he had been driving.

The ICE officer fired several round at the vehicle before it drove away, police said.

A short time later, Metro Police officers found the Accord abandoned in a vacant lot with bullet holes in the front and driver's side window. Investigating officers and agents later learned Clark owned the vehicle and that he lived in the area.

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