GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan — The driver charged with hitting a Grand Rapids police cruiser head-on and injuring an officer in May has been sentenced.
The suspect, 39-year-old Jack Allen Case, was sentenced Thursday to a minimum of three years in prison in Kent County Circuit Court. Judge Scott A. Noto sentenced Case and said he could serve up to seven and a half years in prison.
Case was charged with operating while intoxicated third offense and operating while intoxicated causing serious injury.
When the crash happened, Case already had two other impaired driving convictions on his record.
The charges come after Case allegedly hit Grand Rapids police officer Cory Borta head-on back on May 11.
Borta was driving north on Eastern Avenue SE near Griggs Street SE when he was struck head-on by a southbound vehicle.
After the crash, another officer responded to the scene and discovered Case was seriously hurt.
While the officer was trying to speak with Case, the officer noticed there were two pint-sized bottles of Fireball Whiskey on the passenger side floorboard. Two other bottles of alcohol were also found in the glove compartment.
Witnesses told police on the scene that Case was driving recklessly, appeared intoxicated and was driving on the wrong side of the road with no headlights.
Case was hospitalized and denied drinking. He was given a blood test which later showed he had a BAC of .237 which is nearly three times the legal limit in Michigan.
Court documents show an analysis of Borta's vehicle ruled out any negligent driving. He was sworn into the department on July 9, 2020.
Borta suffered a spinal fracture and had to wear a neck brace for six weeks.
Police said this was Case's third Operating While Intoxicated offense:
- In 2006, Case was convicted of operating while impaired in Allegan County
- In 2011, Case was convicted of operating while intoxicated in Kalamazoo County
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