Hillary Farr was sentenced for felonious assault and failure to comply with the order or signal of a police officer in Allen County Common Pleas Court Wednesday morning.
Jessica Orozco | The Lima News
LIMA — A Dayton man convicted of fleeing from the Lima Police Department and driving head-on toward one of the officers was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday.
Hillary Farr, 38, was convicted by a jury in January of failure to comply, a third-degree felony, and second-degree felonious assault. According to testimony from two officers involved in the chase, Farr ignored their attempts to execute a traffic stop on Sept. 4, 2022, and instead led them on a chase through residential areas going more than 50 mph at times.
Lima police officer Mikel Martinez testified during the trial that Farr led him westbound on First Street to northbound Greenlawn Avenue after ignoring the officer’s attempt to pull him over for a minor traffic violation. He said Farr ran a stop sign at West Vine Street while traveling in excess of 50 mph, then nearly struck Officer Zachary Carpenter’s marked police cruiser while traveling north on Greenlawn Avenue.
Martinez said Farr’s vehicle then entered Town Alley, traveling in the wrong direction on that roadway, and his vehicle flipped as it turned onto North Shore Drive. Farr was ejected from the vehicle, which then rolled on top of him.
Creighton said on Wednesday that the officers helped Farr and he was transported to the hospital.
Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Terri Kohlrieser said in cruiser camera footage played during the trial, Farr’s SUV can be seen traveling straight toward Carpenter’s vehicle. She said Carpenter would have been struck if he didn’t move.
“You engaged in a game of chicken, of who was going to move first,” Kohlrieser told Farr.
During the incident, Farr was wanted for violating his post-release control on a robbery charge and was awaiting court on a misdemeanor unauthorized use of a motor vehicle charge.
Farr said he was under the influence of methamphetamine and tequila and had marijuana in his car during the chase. He said he didn’t want to go back to prison and was trying to get away from the police — not injure the officers.
Farr said he is grateful to the police for saving his life. He said he intends to appeal the felonious assault conviction, as he did not “knowingly” attempt to injure Carpenter.
Farr could have been sentenced to almost 10 years in prison if Kohlrieser had added time from his post-release control for the robbery conviction. She said he will have that time — 1,352 days — ”hanging over [his] head” when he is released from this sentence.
Farr is ordered to pay court costs and his driver’s license will be suspended for five years. He will receive 165 days of jailtime credit.
Farr must file an appeal within 30 days of his sentencing going on the record.
