Man receives prison term in drug case
The man who ran over a pedestrian’s foot before crashing his vehicle into a light pole while fleeing from U.S. Customs officers at the San Luis Port of Entry was sentenced Tuesday to 3-1/2 years in prison.
In handing down the sentence, Superior Court Judge Brandon Kinsey also gave 50-year-old Thomas Howard credit for 88 days he has already served in the Yuma County jail.
Howard, who was represented by attorney Ray Hanna of the Yuma County Public Defenders Office, pleaded guilty to a modified charge of attempted importation of a dangerous drug in a plea agreement with prosecutors on April 21.
In return for his guilty plea, charges of transportation of a dangerous drug, aggravated assault with a dangerous instrument and possession of drug paraphernalia were dismissed.
Kinsey also informed Howard that a petition had been filed to revoke his probation, which stemmed from a 2013 conviction for criminal trespass per domestic violence.
As a result, Howard was also sentenced to one year in prison, with credit for 129 days previously served.
The sentences were ordered to be served concurrently, meaning Howard will serve them at the same time.
According to the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, in March Howard attempted to drive into the country through the San Luis Port of Entry
However, when a Customs officer noticed some discrepancies in Howard’s vehicle, instead of going to the secondary inspection area as he was instructed to do, he fled the primary inspection lane at high speed, nearly hitting an officer.
He was later located in a heavily-trafficked pedestrian and vehicle area of Main Street, where he reportedly was still driving at a high rate of speed. He reportedly struck multiple curbs and a pedestrian before hitting a light pole and disabling his vehicle.
Howard then tried to flee on foot and was restrained by witnesses of the collision, who held him at the scene until he was taken into custody by Yuma County Narcotics Task Force (YCNTF) agents.
A Customs and Border Protection K-9 unit also responded to the scene and alerted to a spare tire located in the bed of Howard’s truck.
The vehicle was taken back to the port for further inspection, where YCNTF agents assisted the San Luis Police Department and Customs officers in searching the vehicle.
During the search, 55 packages of methamphetamine were found hidden in the spare tire. Additional packages were also found inside the vehicle. Combined, the packages weighed over 50 pounds and had an estimated street value of $52,000.
Howard was booked into the Yuma County Detention Center on suspicion of transportation of a dangerous drug, possession of a dangerous drug with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, tampering with evidence and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.