BOULDER, Colo. -- A man who intentionally crashed his car into a traffic light pole in Boulder to try to kill his girlfriend has been sentenced to 13 years in prison.
George Pappas, 52, was sentenced this week after previously pleading guilty to second-degree assault and vehicular assault, the Boulder Daily Camera reports. He told the court he's a drug addict and wasn't in his "right mind" at the time of the Oct. 12, 2015, crash.
Pappas was seriously injured, and his girlfriend was hurt but able to walk away from the mangled car. The woman says Pappas unbuckled her seat belt and then began driving erratically, but she was able to re-buckle before the crash.
Police said witnesses to the crash heard both the girlfriend and Pappas say he hit the pole intentionally in an attempt to kill her.
He was initially charged with attempted murder but the charges were changed under a plea bargain.
Pappas has an eight-page Colorado criminal history stretching back 29 years. He has prior arrests for domestic violence-related assault and harassment, theft, DUI, driving under the influence of drugs, obstructing police, trespassing and receiving stolen property, according to the Colorado Bureau of investigation.
In 2003, Pappas was arrested for felony check fraud in Durango and pleaded guilty. He was sentenced to three years in the state Department of Corrections, court records state.
---------
Sign up for Denver7 email alerts to stay informed about breaking news and daily headlines.