MichaeI Lance Irvin
A County Jail inmate who jumped into a jail van and ran over a corrections officer's leg has been sentenced to serve three years in state prison.
Michael Lance Irvin, who earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault, said it was "the stupidest thing I've done in my whole life."
Prosecutors said Irvin was trying to escape, but was stopped after he ran over the officer and almost hit two others, including one who was hanging on to the front door of the van.
The officer who was hit suffered a broken leg and was off work for six months.
Irvin told Judge Amanda Dunn that he jumped into the driver's seat after noticing that the vehicle was still running. He said he was having drug withdrawal pangs and was desperate to go find some drugs.
Officer Mark Potter said Irvin was among three inmates being returned to the jail at Silverdale in November 2021. He said Irvin jumped into the driver's seat and ran over a fence. He said he then backed up the van and slammed into a second fence.
The witness said the first fence was heavily damaged and the second fence was destroyed.
Officer Potter said he was trying to hang on and get the van stopped. He said he could have been seriously hurt.
At one point, he said he drew his gun on the inmate and pointed it at him. But he said he didn't fire because jail personnel were in the line of fire.
Irvin's sister, Kristin Tate of Mississippi, said she and her siblings were raised in a Christian home. She said he has been plagued by drug abuse for some 20 years.
The father of four - ages 10 up to 22 - said soon after the incident he determined to get off drugs and turn his life around.
He said when he was transported down to Dade County to serve out a term there for leading police on a chase that he was chosen as a jail trusty and allowed to work on projects in the community.
Irvin said he was willing to go into the Renew Ministries program of Calvary Chapel in which participants are discipled as they work on a farm on Cagle Mountain.
Assistant Public Defender Jay Perry said the group would pick up Irvin at the jail and be responsible for him, but was not willing to testify in court.
Judge Dunn said she took the latter situation into account and said there was no assurance that if Irvin absconded that the court would be notified.
Irvin is a Range One offender and is eligible for parole consideration after serving 30 percent of the term.
He has been in jail - either in Hamilton or Dade County - since the incident.