KINGSTON – A Kerhonkson man was sentenced in Ulster County Court to 2 ½ to three years in state prison and three years of post-release supervision after pleading guilty to menacing a police officer on June 8.
David Stephens, 31, also pled guilty to felony driving while intoxicated.
The convictions stemmed from an incident on January 2, 2022 where he was pulled over by a state trooper for a vehicle and traffic infraction. He opened the driver’s side door and had his hand on a pellet gun which was raised at waist level and visible to the officer.
Stephens said he pointed the gun because he wanted suicide by cop.
He was then placed through field sobriety tests and was found to be operating the motor vehicle with a blood alcohol content of .17, over twice the legal limit and while driving with a revoked license for a prior DWI conviction a year earlier.
“Our law enforcement community confronts threats on a daily basis, and displaying a weapon at a police officer during a traffic stop is completely unacceptable, and those who engage in such behavior must be held accountable,” said District Attorney David Clegg. “This sentence and conviction underscores the need for increased mental health and substance abuse services in our community.”
