Eight years in prison for attempting to run over a firefighter
You may recall the story of the Vallejo fire captain seriously injured last Spring by a man she was trying to help at a car wreck. (Click here for FireGeezer’s coverage of the incident.)
That man has now learned his fate. Here are excerpts from an article by Shauntel Lowe in the Times-Herald:
A Vallejo man convicted of assault for trying to run over a firefighter with his car in April was sentenced to eight years in prison Tuesday.
Eric Davis, 32, faced nine years in prison on two charges of assault for hitting Vallejo Fire Capt. Ann Cavanaugh with his car and punching another firefighter.
Cavanaugh, who has been with the department for 10 years, has not worked since April because of a brain injury she suffered when she was slammed to the pavement by the force of Davis’ car.
“Mr. Davis deprived me of a career I love,” Cavanaugh said after the sentencing.
Vallejo police and firefighters had responded to a report of a car crash on Werden Street on April 29. Davis was one of the victims.
As paramedics tried to treat Davis, who said he had a seizure, he got back into his car and started it. One firefighter went to the driver’s side door and tried to remove the keys as Cavanaugh stood in the passenger door.
Davis punched the firefighter, then put the car into reverse, striking Cavanaugh with the door. He then drove forward and would have run Cavanaugh over if firefighters hadn’t pulled her out of the way, police said at the time.
Deputy District Attorney Larry Kuo said Davis’ defense had been that he was unconscious at the time.
“He would have done this to anyone standing there,” Cavanaugh said.
