A 31-year-old man was sentenced to three years in prison for attacking an off duty Derby detective on Elizabeth Street.
In March, Det. Robert Donahue was having a cup of coffee in Archie Moore’s while his son took karate classes next door when he saw a manager toss William Smith out of the restaurant.
Donahue left the restaurant to get his son when he saw Smith urinating into Elizabeth Street, in full view of the many storefronts.
Donahue, a Derby officer for 25 years, called police and followed Smith up Elizabeth Street toward the city’s parking garage.
Donahue identified himself as a police officer, showing Smith his badge.
He told Smith, who has a history of substance abuse and mental problems, that he was under arrest.
“No I’m not,” Smith allegedly said, lunging at Donahue.
The two struggled as Derby police cars arrived on the scene.
Donahue was knocked to the ground, striking his face on a curb. The impact dealt serious injury to his neck and back.
Smith was charged with assaulting a police officer, a felony. Smith was already on probation for violating a protection order and trespassing.
Donahue, his left arm still in a sling, was in court Friday for Smith’s appearance.
A letter from the detective was read into the record.
In it, Donahue described the crime and stated the outcome was “fair, considering what he has done to me.”
“I was concerned about my son, seeing his father assaulted,” Donahue stated.
Donahue suffered a broken nose in the attack, along with damage to the three discs in his neck and one in his back. He will have to have surgery to repair the damage.
He also seriously injured his shoulder, on which surgery has already been performed.
Smith, through his attorney, apologized to the detective.
After Smith serves his time in jail, he will be placed on seven years special parole, according to the sentence from Judge Burton Kaplan.
Special parole guarantees that Smith will be under supervision when he gets out of jail.
