photo by: Chris Conde/Journal-World

John Timothy Price is pictured at a sentencing hearing on May 15, 2023, in Douglas County District Court. Price was convicted by a Douglas County jury of felony aggravated assault for throwing bricks at passing cars and smashing windows at businesses.

A Lawrence man was sentenced on Monday in Douglas County District Court to five years in prison for throwing bricks at passing cars and smashing windows at several businesses in 2021.

The man, John Timothy Price, 35, was convicted by a Douglas County jury in December of two felony counts of aggravated assault for throwing brick pavers at cars as they passed him on the roadway, multiple felony and misdemeanor counts of criminal damage and multiple misdemeanor counts of battery on a law enforcement officer in connection with two incidents in September 2021.

The court held back-to-back trials for Price in December 2022, at which he caused several disturbances throughout the proceedings, including wrestling with court security officers and battering his attorney. He was finally fitted with an electric shock device in an effort to prevent further outbursts, as the Journal-World reported.

On Monday, Price’s fifth attorney on the case, KiAnn Caprice, said that she filed a motion for a dispositional departure at the request of Price. She said that Price believed he was a good candidate for probation and that he would comply with any recommendations of the court.

Judge Stacey Donovan asked Price if he had any comments about the motion for probation. Price said he had a lot to say but that he wasn’t sure how to say it. He ultimately thanked the judge for her patience.

“I appreciate you being patient. I haven’t been the most easy-going throughout this process,” Price told Donovan.

Donovan denied the motion for departure and sentenced Price to 32 months for one count of aggravated assault, 12 months for the second assault charge and six months for each of the three remaining misdemeanor counts of criminal damage. Donovan ordered all of the sentences to run concurrently for a total of 32 months in the first case relating to throwing bricks at cars on Sept. 12, 2021, near the intersection of Ninth and Iowa streets.

Donovan then sentenced Price to another 16 months for the first count of felony criminal damage and 12 months for a misdemeanor count of battery on a law enforcement officer, to run consecutively with the aggravated assault sentence in the previous case. She sentenced him concurrently to six months each for additional counts of criminal damage and interference and 12 months concurrently for another count of battery on a law enforcement officer.

The charges are in connection with an incident on Sept. 9, 2021, when Price smashed windows at Commerce Bank, 955 Iowa St., Crimson and Brews Bar, 925 Iowa St., QuikTrip, 900 Iowa St., and an apartment, all near the intersection of Ninth and Iowa streets.

In total, Price was sentenced to 60 months, or five years. Donovan said that Price had served 610 days in custody, or about 20 months, since his arrest.

After Price was sentenced Monday, the court held a preliminary hearing for a felony charge of aggravated battery on a corrections officer in connection with an incident on or about Sept. 17, 2022, when Price is alleged to have spit on a corrections officer at the Douglas County Jail.

The officer, Hunter Boyer, testified that Price was pounding on his cell door and refused to stop. Boyer asked him to “cuff up” and told Price he would be transported to the maximum security section of the jail.

Boyer said Price eventually complied but called him a few names while he was transporting him. Boyer said Price then reared his head back and spit at him.

“He turns around and spits right in my mouth,” Boyer said.

Boyer said he then had to wrestle Price to the ground until help arrived.

Price testified during the hearing and said that he did not spit on or at the officer; he only lunged toward the officer and said that it was “reactionary” to Boyer’s actions. Price alleged that Boyer was whispering things in his ear as he was walking Price to maximum security and one of the things Boyer said made him angry.

“I was frustrated. I was handcuffed. I was already subdued,” Price said.

Price said he wouldn’t repeat what Boyer whispered.

Donovan ordered Price to stand trial on the felony battery charge, and Price is scheduled for trial on that charge on June 28.

Price will appear in court sooner than that as he is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on June 22 for another felony battery charge on a law enforcement officer that he received during his December trial after allegedly attacking a member of court security.