KINGMAN- A local judge has accepted a plea agreement and imposed the 12.5-year prison term mandated in the case of a Kingman man who drew police gunfire after stealing a big rig in May. Mohave County Superior Court Judge Rick Lambert sent 27-year-old Michael Lapeer to the Arizona Department of Corrections Wednesday.
Authorities said Lapeer was able to start a Mohave County-owned Humvee that had been stored at a yard along Andy Devine Avenue. Lapeer admitted driving the vehicle through a chain link gate in the fenced yard and into the streets of Kingman before police quickly responded.
A bizarre pursuit and standoff ensued with Lapeer refusing commands to surrender and cooperate. Two Kingman police units were rammed by the Humvee before officers opened fire.
Lapeer was unarmed and no one was injured.
A multiple-count felony indictment for the incident was resolved with Lapeer’s guilty pleas and convictions for three counts of assault for endangering a trio of officers. He also admitted probation violations for 2019 convictions for forgery and disorderly conduct.
Lapeer is also required to pay more than $22,000 restitution to the City of Kingman and Mohave County to compensate for property loss. “The defendant did cause a lot of damage to county and city property in his little episode,” said prosecutor Jacob Cote.
- Dave Hawkins
