KINGMAN – A man who drew police gunfire that injured no one after stealing a vehicle from a Mohave County property in Kingman is going to the Arizona Department of Corrections for 12.5 years. The punishment for Michael Lapeer, 26, Kingman is mandated in a plea agreement that also resolves probation violations.
A June 11 hearing at the Mohave County courthouse revealed that Lapeer was on probation for disorderly conduct and forgery convictions when he stole a Humvee on May 10.
“He rammed the stolen Humvee into the locked chain link gate to exit the yard,” said Bullhead City police department spokeswoman Emily Fromelt. Bullhead City police conducted an outside review of the incident since it involved Kingman police gunfire.
Fromelt said the Humvee struck a vehicle and failed to stop in the area of Andy Devine Avenue and Armour Avenue. She said that Lapeer ignored directives when responding Kingman police officers tried to stop him.
Fromelt said the Humvee rammed two Kingman police vehicles before officers fired shots and Lapeer was arrested. He was unarmed and nobody was hurt.
Lapeer entered the plea deal after he was informed he’d go to prison for more than 100 years if convicted of all charges at trial. Terms of the deal required him to admit probation violations and be convicted of three counts of aggravated assault for endangering three officers.
Mohave County Superior Court Judge Rick Lambert scheduled a July 8 sentencing hearing.
- Dave Hawkins
