MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The man who tried to run over a Bartlett Police Officer with his car after getting caught shoplifting appeared before a judge on Friday for sentencing.
Tavarius Jones entered an Alford plea on aggravated assault charges, and was sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
When a defendant enters an Alford plea, they acknowledge that prosecutors have enough evidence to get a conviction if the case were to go before a jury.
However, at the same time they still maintain that they are innocent.
Additionally, he pleaded guilty to theft over $500 and was given a four year sentence.
Those sentences will be served concurrently.
This all stemmed from an event back in August 2013 in which Jones and two other men, Harold Thompson and Damien Hollis, were caught dropping merchandise into hidden pockets in their pants inside a local Walmart.
When an officer arrived on the scene, the trio had already jumped into a car.
Jones, who was driving at the time, was ordered to stop, but instead decided to drive straight at the officer, hitting him several times.
One witness said they could hear someone inside the vehicle encouraging Jones to run him over.
To protect himself, the officer opened fire, hitting Jones three times in the arm.
Thompson and Hollis were also charged with aggravated assault and theft over $500.
Their cases are pending.
