A Sioux City man will serve up to five years in prison after agreeing to plead guilty to charges stemming from a 2018 fatal assault on 4th Street.
24-year-old Ray Avila was sentenced to up to five years in prison for involuntary manslaughter and another five for flight to avoid prosecution.
Judge Duane Hoffmeyer accepted the plea agreement where the two terms would be served concurrently.
A third count of assault causing serious injury was dropped.
Avila was charged in the death of 31-year-old Peter Johnson of Sioux City, who died days after Avila punched him in the head.
Johnson fell and struck his head on concrete.
Avila told the judge he understood the plea agreement and what he had done:
Victim’s impact statements were read by family members and friends.
Andrew Sandman was Pete Johnson’s best friend and read a statement on behalf of Melissa Johnson, Pete’s wife:
Avila was given credit for 52 days time served in the Woodbury County Jail.
He was also ordered to pay restitution to Johnson’s estate and family members.
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LOCAL AUTHORITIES SAY A BODY WAS RECOVERED FROM THE MISSOURI RIVER OVER THE WEEKEND.
TRI-STATE AUTHORITIES RECEIVED A REPORT SATURDAY EVENING AROUND 6:30 THAT SOMEONE HAD BEEN SWEPT INTO THE RIVER ON THE NEBRASKA SIDE OF RIVERLAND ESTATES.
THE GAME, FISH AND PARKS DEPARTMENT USED SONAR TO FIND AND RECOVER THE BODY AT 11PM SATURDAY NIGHT.
THE NAME OF THE VICTIM HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED.
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SIOUX CITY POLICE RESPONDED TO A REPORT OF GUNSHOTS IN THE 1500 BLOCK OF VILLA AVENUE SATURDAY NIGHT.
UPON ARRIVAL, POLICE FOUND AN ABANDONED CAR IN THE ALLEY AND WITNESSES SAYING THEY HEARD SEVERAL GUN SHOTS AND SAW A GROUP OF MALES FLEEING FROM THE CAR ON FOOT.
A SMALL CALIBER BULLET HOLE WAS FOUND IN THE SIDING OF A RESIDENCE NEXT TO THE VEHICLE.
THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
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THE FINAL NUMBERS ARE IN FROM THE 2019 STURGIS MOTORCYCLE RALLY IN WESTERN SOUTH DAKOTA.
THE STATE HIGHWAY PATROL SAYS ARRESTS AND TRAFFIC CITATIONS INCREASED GREATLY, WHILE THERE WERE FEWER ACCIDENTS REPORTED.
THE NUMBER OF FELONY DRUG ARRESTS NEARLY DOUBLED, FROM 77 IN 2018 TO 131 THIS YEAR.
DUI ARRESTS INCREASED FROM 149 TO 171.
OFFICERS ISSUED 1336 TRAFFIC CITATIONS, NEARLY 350 MORE THAN THE PREVIOUS YEAR, AND NEARLY 350 MORE WARNINGS.
DRIVERS FARED BETTER, WITH JUST TWO TRAFFIC DEATHS COMPARED TO 4 IN 2018.
THE NUMBER OF INJURY AND NON-INJURY ACCIDENTS ALSO DROPPED
