Portland car thief sentenced in assault on owner

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A 50-year-old man charged with stealing a vehicle and an assault on the car owner that left the victim brain damaged has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

The Oregonian/OregonLive reports (http://bit.ly/2dRlRYA ) Nick Allen Lucas was sentenced Monday after pleading no contest in the case.

Lucas had been accused of driving a vehicle reported stolen by 64-year-old Gregory Anderton in June 2015.

Anderton had spotted his 1998 Subaru Legacy in a Safeway parking lot about six weeks later and tried to get it back.

Authorities say Lucas began to attack Anderton, who attempted to run away but fell.

Video surveillance of the incident shows Lucas stomping on Anderton once in the head.

Lucas’ attorney had argued that his client didn’t realize Anderton was the vehicle’s rightful owner.

___

Information from: The Oregonian/OregonLive, http://www.oregonlive.com