A Lincoln County judge Friday sentenced a 55-year-old Yachats man to 13.5 years in prison after a jury this month found him guilty of eight driving offenses, including three felony assault charges, stemming from a road-rage incident last October.
Circuit Judge Amanda Benjamin sentenced Dane L. Day, who has been in jail on 11 charges stemming from the Oct. 7 incident on U.S. Highway 101 just north of Yachats and following an 18-day Oregon State Police investigation.
Before sentencing, Benjamin rejected three self-filed motions by Day seeking a new trial based on what he claimed as inappropriate dress by his attorney, delays in the trial due to jurors not being available, and because one of the accident victims contacted a witness during a week-long break in the trial.
The district attorney’s office said Day drove his truck “aggressively and erratically, within inches of two motorcyclists, one with a passenger.” His tailgating caused them to crash, one rider on the road and the other motorcyclist along with their passenger in a ditch, the district attorney’s office said, and all sustained serious injuries.
The district attorneys office said three of the assault convictions fall under Oregon’s Measure 11 sentencing law, which mandates mandatory minimum prison sentences.
Day has been in jail since October with bail set at $750,000 because of 56 previous arrests and 10 charges of failing to appear in court. Day’s criminal history in Oregon dates back to 1987, ranging from possession of methamphetamine, being a felon in possession of a firearm, numerous driving violations, and theft.
