PHOENIX— Marc Laquon Payne (D.O.B. 02-03-1972) was sentenced today to 35 years in the Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to three counts of Attempted 1st Degree Murder, four counts of Aggravated Assault, two counts each of Endangerment and Criminal Damage and one count of Resisting Arrest.

“This defendant’s intentional and reckless actions put the lives of many in danger that day and directly threatened the lives of three police officers who were serving and protecting our community. Today’s sentencing will provide him with enough time to reflect on his decisions,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery.

In the early morning hours of September 13, 2016, the defendant backed a car into a parking space at a convince store in West Phoenix. A short time later three uniformed officers standing next to a marked police vehicle heard the defendant’s car revving before he drove right at them. The officers only had seconds to react prior to being stuck, and video of the incident showed no indication the defendant attempted to use his brakes. The car struck the officers and then continued into the convenience store building where two workers were inside.

After the collision one of the injured officers attempted to take the defendant into custody, however once he was out of the car the defendant became combative fighting and hitting the injured officer causing further injury. Another of the injured officers was able to successfully take the defendant into custody after using his Taser.

The three officers were taken to a local hospital for treatment, luckily the convenience store employees were not injured, although the defendant’s actions placed their lives at risk, and the damage done to the convenience store made it structurally unsafe.