Man who fled accident in front of cop convicted

Published 11:16 am Tuesday, May 8, 2012

A Nebraska man who crashed into a car in front of a police officer and fled the scene last December was sentenced Friday in Mower County Court.

Tony Lynn Personius, 42, was convicted of fleeing a peace officer, a gross misdemeanor, and misdemeanor DWI. He was sentenced to one year of unsupervised probation and fined $500.

Police arrested Personius in Austin on Dec. 4, 2011, after he crashed his suburban into the back of a car that was directly behind the officer at the 500 block of Third Avenue NW. Personius’ vehicle spun out in the crash, and Personius reportedly backed up and tried to escape, spinning his tires aggressively on the ice. The officer followed Personius for several blocks, who was going 40 in a 25 mph zone. Personius also ran several stop signs before he abruptly pulled over at the 200 block of Eighth Street SW. The officer drew his gun and held Personius at gunpoint until another officer arrived. The court complaint adds that Personius put his hands in his pockets when the officer told him to put his hands up. The officer then tasered Personius, who fell to the ground, and the officer arrested him.

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