A Newhall man was sentenced yesterday to eight years and eight months in state prison for assaulting a Los Angeles County sheriff's deputy while fleeing from police in a stolen pickup truck, the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office announced.

Deputy District Attorney Ryan Tracy said a jury found Jesse Alan Tucker, 31, guilty of one felony count each of assault upon a peace officer and resisting executive officer and two felony counts of driving or taking a vehicle without consent after a prior conviction.

Tucker also was convicted of one misdemeanor count of vandalism under $400 damage.

On Feb. 2, 2015, Tucker stole a Ford F-150 truck and when police pursued him, he hit a deputy's patrol car with the stolen truck and then backed up and aimed it at the deputy, according to the evidence presented at the trial.

Tucker had succeeded on evading two sheriff's deputies days earlier, on January 28, 2015. In that incident, the defendant drove recklessly through William S. Hart Park and damaged park property, the prosecutor said.

Case PA082930 was investigated by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, Santa Clarita Station.

Los Angeles County District Attorney / Case PA082930 / July 13, 2016