CLEARFIELD – A Woodland man who followed a woman’s car then attacked her in the parking lot of Long John Silver’s was in court to answer for his actions Monday.
On May 11, Robert Patrick Roach, 36, was seen striking the victim’s vehicle in the lot until his vehicle rolled over. He then got out, screamed at her and struck her in the face multiple times, police said.
Prior to his sentencing hearing during court Monday, the 60-year-old victim addressed the court explaining how she called police that day because Roach was driving erratically and following her. She pulled into the parking lot, hoping to find “safety.”
Roach pursued her around the lot then hit her car, denting the entire vehicle. Before striking her one last time, she stated that he “revved” the engine and the vehicle went over her car, rolling onto its roof.
“It was a miracle he didn’t kill me then and there,” she explained, noting the vehicle might have exploded.
At that point, he could have stopped, but instead, he got out of his vehicle, bleeding from his injuries and yelled “you can’t go anywhere, can you?!” and said something about how God tells him who is evil.
“You got the wrong message,” she commented.
Next, she said he got into her car window, screaming “in my face like an idiot.” He beat her in the face and pulled her hair, trying to pull her out of the car then throwing her to the ground like a “rag doll.”
“You could have stopped at any time, she said noting that at that point he should have realized he was mistaken about her identity, but he “tried to take it out on me.”
It took five weeks for her face to heal and she had to fight with her insurance company to cover $5,000 worth of damage to her vehicle.
“That day I only wanted to pick up my groceries,” she stated.
She also voiced her concerns that Roach was out of jail at the time of the incident. After looking at his prior record, she stated she was “shocked you were out on the street.”
The plea also confused her as she explained that the case went from three felony charges to two and then only one for the plea agreement.
“I don’t understand why there are not more charges.” She commented that crime is up in the area due to leniency in the legal system.
She urged Judge Paul E. Cherry to “keep him locked up as long as you can.”
Roach’s attorney, Chris Pentz, noted that his client was under a “methamphetamine delusion” at the time of the attack, which caused him to see and hear things that weren’t real.
“His intent was not to hurt this person,” adding that “if he is away from meth, he will not be a danger to society.”
Roach himself apologized to the victim and everyone involved. He stated that he had no intention to hurt anyone that day. Because he has been in state prison for a while now, he stated he is grateful to be receiving treatment.
“I don’t want that (drugs) in my life.”
Roach pleaded guilty to one count of aggravated assault, driving under the influence and one summary and was sentenced by Cherry to serve 36 months to 12 years in state prison.
This will run consecutive to his current probation violation sentence of two to four years, which he received in June.
Originally, he was charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault and felony aggravated assault while DUI, as well as misdemeanor counts of simple assault, DUI and disorderly conduct.
He was ordered to pay almost $5,000 in restitution.
According to the affidavit, the victim told police Roach followed her from the Sheetz on state Route 879, tailgating her and making rude gestures. When he continued to follow her through the exit to the Clearfield Mall, she called 911. She then pulled into the restaurant’s lot hoping to find help.
After he was in custody, Roach told police he was having problems with his fiancée and custody of his children.
When he saw the victim’s vehicle, he thought it was his fiancée with another man. He felt they were “trying to get away” from him and he “just had to do it.”
He admitted to doing meth five hours before the incident.