BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A South Dakota man was been sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for intentionally running down a North Dakota man who was picking up his granddaughter from practice at a sports complex.
Wade Bison pleaded guilty to murder in the March 21 death of Erwin Geigle. The 77-year-old man was repeatedly struck in the parking lot of the All Seasons Arena complex in Mandan.
Prosecutors say Bison, 39, was angry that he had to slam on his brakes when Geigle walked in front of his pickup truck, so he accelerated and repeatedly ran over Geigle.
“This never should have happened,” Assistant Morton County State’s Attorney Gabrielle Goter said Wednesday, referring to Bison’s criminal history of 54 prior convictions. He was offered “opportunity after opportunity” through probation and programs, the Bismarck Tribune reported.
“And yet here we are. An innocent man lost his life just for walking across the street to pick up his granddaughter,” Goter said.
Bison, at an April court appearance, told South Central District Judge Douglas Bahr he got upset because Geigle walked in front of him. He said he put his foot on the accelerator “just to rev the engine,” but struck Geigle.
When he saw the extent of Geigle’s injuries “I figured there was nothing I could do, nothing I could do. I freaked out,” Bison said. “I just closed my eyes and hoped that I gave him mercy.”
Bahr at that hearing asked Bison, of Wakpala, if he intentionally ran over Geigle to make sure he was dead.
“I did,” Bison said.
“I don’t think we can emphasize enough the serious nature of this situation,” the judge said at sentencing, calling it “horrific, unprovoked and random.”