Idaho man makes modified guilty plea in dragging case

A southern Idaho man who was charged with dragging a woman alongside his truck before running her over has entered a modified guilty plea in court.

The Times-News reports 42-year-old Vernon Massey of Kimberly made the Alford plea to a charge of felony aggravated battery on Monday. An Alford plea means a defendant acknowledges there is enough evidence in the case to convict and agrees to be found guilty but does not acknowledge committing a crime.

The victim in the battery case told police he came to her house in February and said he wanted to talk. The victim said when she approached the driver’s side door of his truck, he grabbed her shirt and started to drive down the road. The victim told police she tried to get away but Massey was holding a hunting knife, and she ran alongside the truck until her shirt ripped and she fell. That’s when a rear tire of the truck ran over her arm.

Prosecutors are asking a judge to sentence Massey to up to eight years in prison.