A 28-year-old man was placed on enhanced probation Monday after a jury convicted him of aggravated assault stemming from a 2013 arrest that ended with an officer shooting him with a stun gun.
Age at Arrest: 26
Date of Birth: 08/16/1988
Arresting Agency: Chattanooga
Last Date of Arrest: 08/15/2014
Charge(s):
CRIMINAL TRESPASSING
Through an agreement between the defense and the state, Steven Hacker received a six-year sentence that was suspended. Because he goes immediately on probation, Hacker agreed to waive his right to any appeals or post-conviction relief. Hacker also was convicted of two counts of driving under the influence, which merged together Monday. That 11-month, 29-day sentence also was suspended, meaning Hacker will spend 48 hours in county jail.
During a three-day trial in June, prosecutors portrayed Hacker as an inebriated man who ignored a law enforcement officer, ran inside his house and threatened officers before coming outside armed with a kitchen knife on July 25, 2013. Because of that, an officer fired a Taser, causing Hacker to fall through a window and injure himself, records show.
Earlier that day, Hacker was around Sandy's Liquor Store at 2410 Glass St. when an officer "saw an individual come up to the defendant's car and have some sort of interaction," prosecutor Charlie Minor said in June.
Believing he had witnessed a drug trade, the officer followed Hacker as he drove drunk through a red light at the corner of Glass and Campbell streets, Minor said. Then, after Hacker pulled into a driveway at 712 N. Crest Road, the officer checked his license plate. When it came back listed as belonging to a different vehicle, the officer went to speak with Hacker.
On the witness stand, Hacker said he was unsure why an officer followed him into his driveway. He described running inside, pacing from the kitchen to the garage to the front door, and finally stepping outside with his hands up, willing to cooperate.
During closing arguments, Hacker's attorney, Robin Flores, said officers would do anything to justify their excessive use of force since they faced a $600,000 lawsuit from Hacker in Chattanooga's federal district court.
That suit was placed on hold while attorneys dealt with Hacker's criminal charges in state court. Records show it was dismissed earlier this month with prejudice, meaning all involved parties must pay their respective costs.
Contact staff writer Zack Peterson at zpeterson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6347. Follow him on Twitter @zackpeterson918.