KINGMAN – A local judge sentenced a Palm Springs, Calif., man to prison on Friday after he was intoxicated when he intentionally damaged property and crashed into a police vehicle in the city of Lake Havasu last summer. I rejected my strong request for a suspended sentence.

Officers responded to a criminal assault on Block 1500 of Beachcomber Blvd on August 6, 2022 at approximately 11:20 PM.

“They found a damaged white 2021 GMC Sierra driving erratically,” Sergeant Tyler Triboletto said in a news release. Damaged a third police car. ”

Tribolet said the truck stopped when it hit a wall and 32-year-old Morgan Prieto was taken into custody after a brief struggle with police. He said one police officer suffered minor injuries.

Defense attorney Jason Lamb told Judge Doug Camacho that Prieto, who has battled substance abuse problems for decades, is otherwise bright, distinctly caring, loving and compassionate. said he was a good father.

“It’s not the guy who was driving around that night acting like an idiot,” Lamb said, adding that Prieto becomes a different person when he gets drunk.

“Morgan has had trouble staying sober since he was a teenager,” Prieto’s sister said. “I believe in my brother.”

“I am completely embarrassed and ashamed of my actions. I cannot live like this anymore. I have hit rock bottom,” Prieto said.

His sister, mother and Lamb asked the court to put Prieto on probation and move him to a modest living facility in Flagstaff to allow him to change his life for the better. . And Lam downplayed the ramming of police vehicles.

– It was more like a scenario where he was playing with a police officer in a bumper car,” Lam said.

Mojave County Deputy Attorney Leah Nelson said there was one officer still traumatized by Prieto’s attack and she hopes the court will send Prieto to the Department of Corrections. said he was still committing crimes following past convictions and probation failures.

“Mr. Prieto is becoming more and more dangerous to society,” Nelson said.

Prieto pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and assaulting separate victims, a police officer and a civilian, on two counts.

Camacho imposed a 280-day prison sentence for DUI and cleared that sentence by crediting Prieto for the 280 days he had already spent in prison. Camacho sentenced him to four years in prison for the assault conviction.

Prieto will also be liable for property damage in excess of $100,000.