POCATELLO — A 32-year-old local man was partially convicted Tuesday nearly five years after he almost struck an officer with his vehicle during a high-speed chase.

A jury seated in Bannock County convicted Terrence John Griggs, of Pocatello, of three felony charges — aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, eluding and malicious injury to property — following a trial that lasted seven days. Griggs was also convicted of misdemeanor malicious injury to property and a felony enhancement for being a persistent violator.

Griggs was acquitted on two other counts of felony aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and one felony count of malicious injury to property.

The trial began with jury selection on June 21. During the trial, Bannock County prosecutors called 13 witnesses to testify, including the three Pocatello police officers Griggs was accused of assaulting — Cpl. Russ Gunter, Sgt. Nathan Diekemper and Sgt. Akilah Lacey. Prosecutors also called United States Marshal Frank Ortega, evidence technicians and other Pocatello police officers involved in the pursuit of Griggs to testify.

Several exhibits were presented as evidence during the trial, including police dash camera footage of the pursuit and in-car cameras that depicted Griggs making statements to the police after the pursuit, including that he was sorry and that he didn’t know why officers were coming after him so strongly.

The jury deliberated for a little over two hours Tuesday before returning a partial conviction against Griggs. Lacey was the only officer in which Griggs was convicted of assaulting.

The incident in which Griggs faced criminal charges occurred during the evening of Nov. 30, 2017.

Griggs in November led Pocatello police on a high-speed pursuit after officers — who were working in conjunction with the United States Marshals Service — attempted to apprehend him on outstanding felony and misdemeanor warrants. Two passengers were in the car with Griggs during the chase but were not charged in relation to this incident.

The chase started outside of the McDonald’s in Chubbuck. After Griggs nearly struck Sgt. Diekemper, who had to jump out the way from being struck by the vehicle, Gunter, realizing there were other occupants in the vehicle, drew his firearm and shot the driver’s side front tire of Griggs’ car in an attempt to stop the pursuit, according to police reports the Idaho State Journal obtained this week and testimony at trial.

Griggs eluded police and was later observed driving on Yellowstone Avenue at a high rate of speed, weaving in and out of traffic as well as down the center turn lane.

Pocatello police officers started the pursuit again and were able to force Griggs’ vehicle to the side of the road inside a mobile home court. Officers attempted to block Griggs’ vehicle with their vehicles and upon exiting their patrol vehicles began giving commands to Griggs to exit his vehicle.

Griggs ignored the commands and backed his vehicle towards officers, narrowly missing Sgt. Lacey, who jumped out of the way, police said. Griggs then used his vehicle to try and push a police vehicle out of the way to escape. Griggs accelerated forward toward a small gap between a police vehicle, a tree and a mobile home. At this time, another unidentified officer discharged his weapon to stop Griggs.

Both Griggs and one of his passengers were struck by the officers’ gunfire after Griggs attempted to strike law enforcement officials with the vehicle.

Griggs drove off the road in the area of the North Main Extension. Eventually, Griggs was apprehended by officers and taken into custody. Griggs and the other passenger were treated at Portneuf Medical Center for minor gunshot wounds. Griggs was then booked into the Bannock County Jail and the passenger was treated and released.

Bannock County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney JaNiece Price was one of two prosecutors handling the case. She said getting a conviction on at least one of the aggravated assault on law enforcement charges was correct in this case considering the facts and evidence.

“Getting a guilty verdict was appropriate based on the dangerous conduct of Terrence John Griggs,” she said. He needs to be held accountable for putting the police in harm’s way. Law enforcement puts themselves in the way of danger and individuals who put their lives at risk need to be held responsible. And in this circumstance not only was he putting the police in danger but he put the community in danger as well.”

Griggs was remanded into the custody of the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office and transported back to the jail following the trial.

Griggs faces up to 20 years in prison during a sentencing hearing scheduled in Bannock County on Aug. 29. Additionally, the persistent violator enhancement could extend Griggs’ time in prison by no less than five years and up to life in prison.