A 20-year-old Asotin man was sentenced to 3-7 years in prison for a vehicle pursuit with law enforcement that ended in the Clearwater River.

Mason P. Cox was sentenced Wednesday by 2nd District Judge Mark Monson at the Nez Perce County Courthouse.

Cox signed a Rule 11 plea agreement May 14, which means if the judge doesn’t follow the agreement the guilty plea can be revoked.

In exchange for the guilty pleas for attempting to elude a police officer in a motor vehicle and aggravated assault, both felonies, prosecutors dismissed a misdemeanor charge of driving without privileges, according to court documents.

Cox was given a fixed sentence of three years, plus an indeterminate period of one year, for the eluding charge.

For the aggravated assault charge, he was given an indeterminate sentence of three years.

The sentences will run consecutively, which means he could serve a total of 3-7 years, according to court documents.

Cox was arrested in January following a vehicle pursuit with law enforcement that started on U.S. Highway 12 near Arrow Bridge, and spikes were placed at the county line between Nez Perce and Clearwater counties.

Cox drove toward law enforcement vehicles and eventually landed upside down in the Clearwater River.

Debris from the wreck hit Orofino Police Chief Vincent Frazier, who was taken to a hospital for injuries to his lower leg, according to the probable cause affidavit.

At the sentencing, Nez Perce County Deputy Prosecutor Jazz Patzer and public defender Payden Ard agreed to a rider program, which means Cox will receive treatment during his sentence.

Cox will have retained jurisdiction for one year for him to complete the rider program, according to court documents.

Cox also has a driver’s license suspension for one year and will pay $492 in court costs.

Monson asked if there was restitution to be paid. Patzer said the state was asking for $2,000 to Frazier and $47,933.64 to the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program, which provides insurance to public entities in Idaho, for the totaled patrol vehicle.

But Ard asked to review the documents before the restitution cost is ordered and Monson agreed to wait, according to court documents.

Brewster may be contacted at kbrewster@lmtribune.com or at (208) 848-2297.