PROVO — Sentencing for a 20-year-old Idaho man accused of shooting a Springville police officer in the leg during a scuffle last spring has been delayed.
Proceedings in 4th District Court for Thomas Sanger recently were cut short when a prosecutor reported that a mental health evaluation on Sanger had not been completed by Utah Adult Probation and Parole.
This is the second time sentencing has been postponed.
Deputy Utah County attorney John Allan said he had called state probation officials to make sure the evaluation was done — but had not heard back.
Judge James Howard said the report was crucial in sentencing because it will determine where Sanger will be placed within the corrections system.
Sanger pleaded guilty, but mentally ill, to one count of attempted aggravated murder, a first-degree felony. In exchange, prosecutors dropped three other counts for Sanger's actions against two other officers involved in the struggle.
According to police, Sanger was stopped by police as he rode his bike after a man matching his description was reportedly seen brandishing a gun in front of several youths at a skate park in Springville.
As officers were patting Sanger down, police say he pulled a gun from his waistband and tried to point it at officers.
Three officers struggled to wrestle the gun from Sanger. During the struggle, Sanger is accused of pulling the trigger, causing a bullet to strike an officer just above the knee.
Allan said the mental evaluation would take another 30 days to conduct. Howard scheduled sentencing for Feb. 20.