News Source: Pinal County Attorney’s Office
Florence, AZ – Pinal County Attorney Brad Miller has announced that on March 28, 2025, Jonathon Altland was sentenced to 17 years flat time in the Department of Corrections after being convicted by a Jury of Count 1: Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, a class 2 Dangerous Offense and Count 2: Unlawful Flight from Law Enforcement, a class 5 felony.
On April 29, 2021, Deputy Nathaniel Clark (PCSO) attempted to conduct a traffic stop on defendant Altland near Picacho, Arizona. Altland then fled from Deputy Clark at a high rate of speed. He was paced driving over 120 MPH. As Deputy Clark pursued Altland, the defendant began firing a gun at Deputy Clark, striking the windshield of his patrol car. Altland then drove east through Coolidge, onto the runway of Chandler Airport, and drove the wrong way on the Loop 202 freeway before driving through a fence and into a Ford car dealership. As law enforcement was developing a plan to apprehend the defendant at the dealership, the defendant took a car from the dealership and drove into a crowd of officers. Altland has been indicted* in Maricopa County for striking and killing Officer Christopher Farrar with a vehicle.
“Our law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to ensure the safety of our community,” County Attorney Miller stated. “Violence and reckless actions against them is an attack on the rule of law itself. My office will continue to work tirelessly to protect our law enforcement and community. I want to thank the prosecutors Patrick Johnson and Gina Cucuzella and all the law enforcement agencies involved in this incident for their excellent work. This sentencing reflects our commitment to holding offenders accountable and ensuring justice is served. My prayers are with the lives affected by this tragedy.”
*A criminal charge is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The Pinal County Attorney’s Office is dedicated to prosecuting criminals, promoting justice, to ensure public safety throughout the county. Led by Brad Miller, a seasoned prosecutor with over 17 years of experience, the office is defined by its commitment to integrity and excellence. Brad Miller brings a distinguished record of public service to the role, including his tenure as a prosecutor in the Sex Crimes Bureau of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and his service as a Lieutenant Colonel in the United States Marine Corps Reserve. With a staff of over 180 professionals, the office prosecutes more than 2,500 felonies and 1,000 misdemeanors annually and provides over 25,000 services to crime victims, standing at the cornerstone of justice for Pinal County.
