PHOENIX — A Sedona woman was sentenced to 10.5 years in prison last week after being convicted of attacking a police officer with a crowbar during a traffic stop, the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office announced Monday.
Erica Ann Montgomery, 47, was found guilty in May of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument against a peace officer. The incident happened on November 3, 2023, after a Sedona Police officer pulled her over for running a red light.
Traffic Stop Turns Violent in Sedona
According to prosecutors, Montgomery was driving with a suspended license plate. When the officer attempted to collect the plate, as required by Arizona law, she refused to exit her vehicle. She rolled up her window, locked the door, and resisted the officer’s efforts to enforce the law.
A struggle followed. Montgomery allegedly punched the officer in the chest and then struck him over the head with a metal object later identified as a crowbar. The officer sustained a concussion as a result of the attack.
A second officer who responded to the scene was also injured during the confrontation. After Montgomery was subdued and taken into custody, officers recovered the crowbar next to her car.
Additional Sentencing Details
In addition to the 10.5-year prison sentence for the crowbar assault, Montgomery was sentenced to three years of probation on two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer and one count of resisting arrest. The sentencing took place on July 28.
Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane emphasized the severity of the attack in a press release, stating, “It should go without saying that police officers are members of our Yavapai County community, and everyone in Yavapai County has the right to go to work without fear of being assaulted.”
