IDAHO FALLS, Idaho — An Idaho Falls man who pleaded guilty to beating a woman over a period of four days last summer, stabbing her with scissors and intentionally crashing his pickup truck into a tree with her as a passenger, has been sentenced to five to 25 years in prison.
Colby Heaton, 42, was sentenced Thursday by Administrative Judge Jon Shindurling. Heaton earlier pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon enhancement and aggravated assault for the July 2012 attack on Stephanie Walters, the Post Register reported.
Bonneville County Deputy Prosecutor Dan Bevilacqua said Heaton beat the woman, hit her with a hammer and broke an ashtray over her head, then prevented her from getting medical treatment.
Prosecutors have said Heaton and Walters, 30, were riding in his pickup when the attack continued.
“He stabbed her with scissors as he drove her toward the river, knowing she had a fear of the water,” Bevilacqua said.
Witnesses said Heaton was driving fast and crashed his truck into a tree. Walters told police she was able to jump out of the truck before it crashed. Walters suffered cuts on her stomach, arms, shoulders and left thigh that were caused by the scissors, police said.
Walters testified Thursday that she continues to live with the physical and emotional damage she suffered at the hands of Heaton, saying she couldn’t sleep with the lights off.
“I hate getting dressed in the morning and seeing the scars you’ve placed on me,” she said.
Heaton apologized to Walters “for everything you went through.”
In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors dismissed another aggravated battery charge, a weapons enhancement and a persistent violator charge. Heaton faces parole violations that could add two to four years to his sentence.
Heaton has an extensive criminal history including convictions for forgery, battery, battery on an officer, theft, driving under the influence, eluding police and malicious injury to property.
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