Marble Hill, Mo., man sentenced to three years in prison for assault of Advance police chief

A circuit court judge Monday sentenced the man accused of assaulting Advance, Mo., police chief Donnie Bohnsack to three years in prison.

Scotty Hooe of Marble Hill, Mo., was found guilty of second-degree assault of a law enforcement officer and armed criminal action April 26. In May he presented a motion for a new trial. Cape Girardeau County Circuit Court Judge William Syler denied the motion for a new trial and sentenced Hooe.

The case appeared in Cape Girardeau County on a change of venue.

On Oct. 17, Bohnsack stopped Hooe on a complaint of careless and imprudent driving that had been reported. Bohnsack saw a .45-caliber pistol lying next to Hooe's leg, officials said. When Bohnsack instructed him not to move, Hooe allegedly brought the gun toward Bohnsack.

Bohnsack grabbed the barrel of the gun and wrested it away from Hooe, officials said.

Hooe then got out of the vehicle and came at Bohnsack, backing him across the road, at which time Bohnsack used his stun gun on Hooe.

As he shambled toward the bench to receive his sentence, Hooe, who is in his early 70s, pushed a wheeled oxygen tank ahead of him.

"Mr. Hooe, I'd say you're lucky to be alive today," Syler told him before announcing the sentence.

Hooe told the court he was still in shock over the incident and apologized to Bohnsack.

"Your conduct under the circumstances was exemplary," Syler told Bohnsack. "You make an excellent witness."

jgamm@semissourian.com

388-3635

Pertinent address:

100 Court St., Jackson, MO