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Park City • A man who dragged and then ran over a Unified Police Department officer in July while fleeing in a stolen vehicle was sentenced Monday to up to 15 years at the Utah State Prison.
Third District Judge Lee Dever sentenced Marty Lee Giles, 46, of Stansbury Park, on two second-degree felonies — aggravated assault and possession of a dangerous weapon by a restricted person. Both carry a penalty of up to 15 years. The sentences will run concurrently.
Giles also was fined a total of $20,000 and must pay restitution to be determined by the Utah Board of Pardons.
Giles was originally charged with attempted murder and seven other counts and pleaded guilty to the two felonies in December.
Officer Neil Poff, 38, suffered severe hip and ankle injuries when he attempted to question Giles at a Summit Park gas station. Poff had spotted Giles driving a stolen car on Interstate 80 up Parleys Canyon.
Poff approached the car and asked Giles to get out. Giles did step out but then got back behind the wheel, according to a police report. Poff attempted to stop him but Giles pulled Poff inside and then sped away and down an embankment, dragging the officer, according to court documents. At some point, Poff fell under the car and was run over.
Monday, Poff told the judge that he is in constant pain and will face future surgeries and may not be able to finish his career.
"The pain is a life sentence for me," he told Dever. "I had wanted a 30-year career in law enforcement. I'll be lucky to make it to 20 and that's four years away."
Outside the courtroom, Poff said he was able to get back to work for several months of light duty. But recently he underwent hip surgery and is now recuperating. He will soon undergo surgery on his ankle.
"My hope is I'll go back to work. But I don't know for sure if I'll be able to," he said.
Giles has a criminal history dating back to 1997. In 2002, he led police on a high-speed chase in a stolen pickup. When officers cornered him, he rammed a West Jordan police car and then tried to run over the officer, according to court documents.