Lawrence man found guilty of aggravated assault, interference with law enforcement, battery of law enforcement officers and criminal damage to property in back-to-back trials

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that juries in two separate trials returned guilty verdicts against John Timothy Price, 34, of Lawrence, for incidents that occurred in September 2021. In his first trial that concluded Wednesday, Price was found guilty of two counts of aggravated assault and three counts of misdemeanor criminal damage to property. In his second trial that concluded today, Price was found guilty of one count of interference with law enforcement-obstruction, two counts of criminal damage to property, one misdemeanor count of criminal damage to property and two misdemeanor counts of battery against a law enforcement officer.

Charges from the first trial stemmed from incidents that occurred on the night of September 12, 2021 near the intersection of W. 9th and Iowa streets where Price threw objects at passing cars.

Charges from the second trial stemmed from incidents that occurred on the evening of September 9, 2021 when Price threw objects that caused damage to windows belonging to Commerce Bank and Crimson and Brews, both located in the Hillcrest Shopping Center in the 900 block of Iowa Street, before damaging windows of a Quick Trip, located near the intersection of W. 9th and Iowa streets. The charges involving law enforcement officers stem from Price spitting at officers and hitting another officer when Price was approached as he stood in the parking lot of the Quick Trip.

“We are grateful to both juries for their careful deliberations,” District Attorney Valdez said. “I also want to recognize our prosecutors and Victim Witness Coordinator Lindsey Aduddell for their dedication in working back-to-back trials and to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office for providing court security.”

The State of Kansas was represented by Senior Assistant District Attorney David Greenwald and Assistant District Attorney Samantha Foster. The matters were investigated by the Lawrence Police Department.

Sentencing was set by Judge Stacey Donovan for 10:30 a.m. on February 28 at the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.

Following his convictions in the first trial, Prices faces up to 34 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) for each of the two counts of aggravated assault and up to six months in county jail for each of the three counts of criminal damage to property. Following his convictions in the second trial, Price faces up to 17 months in the KDOC for interference with law enforcement-obstruction, 17 months in the KDOC for two counts of criminal damage to property, up to six months in jail for one count of criminal damage to property and up to one year in county jail for each of the two counts of battery against a law enforcement officer.