RUTLAND, Vt. --A local man is headed to prison for at least seven years after being convicted of assaulting a woman and then choking a police officer who went to help her.
During his sentencing in Vermont District Court in Rutland on Wednesday, Matthew Hathaway, 23, said he regretted his actions.
"I'm sorry any of this had to happen," Hathaway. "I wish there was some other way we could resolve this other than the way it's being resolved."
Hathaway was sentenced to serve seven to 15 years in prison after his attorney and prosecutors reached a plea deal moments before jury selection was to have begun in his trial on the charges that stemmed from a March 2005 incident.
Hathaway was charged with choking city police officer Earl Post after Post was sent to Hathaway's home after receiving a report of domestic assault.
Post was later treated at the Rutland Regional Medical Center.
Hathaway was charged with five felonies.
"It's when Mr. Hathaway is drinking that he gets out of control," said Deputy State's Attorney Peter Neary. "This got way out of control. This turned into just a few minutes of madness."
Court records say that when police arrived at the Terrill Street apartment, Hathaway was yelling and had his hands around a woman's neck. An officer pepper-sprayed Hathaway, who then charged out the door and started choking Post.
Neary said he hoped Hathaway would use his time in prison to learn to manage his anger.
"I think it would be easy for Mr. Hathaway to hunker down and be bitter about life," Neary said. "I hope that's not the case. There's going to be a day when he gets out. He's still going to have a long life ahead of him."
Hathaway said he had a drinking problem.
"As far as the incident, it got way out of hand," Hathaway said. "I do, I have a drinking problem. When I drink I do get out of hand."
Looks like they found a judge up there who actually sentences someone to well deserved jail time rather than a slap on the wrist that many of the lib' judges
do around here
Posted by: NBC515
cwof with anger management and alcohol testing would have been the sentance in Mass.
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