Polk County man convicted of assault during November face mask dispute sentenced to 10 years in

Polk County man convicted of assault during November face mask dispute sentenced to 10 years in prison


A man convicted of following a man to a car and assaulting him after being told to raise the mask on his face in November was sentenced to 10 years in prison Wednesday.

Shane Wayne Michael, 42, of the Saylor Township was arrested and charged after the Nov. 11 assault at the Vision 4 Less eyewear at 3945 Merle Hay Road in Des Moines. A jury convicted Michael of willful injury causing serious injury last month.

According to a criminal complaint, Michael followed the victim out of the business early that afternoon. The Iowa Capital Dispatch reported that Michael was wearing his mask down slightly and had his nose exposed. The victim asked Michael to correct he positioning of his mask, according to the story. A police report said Michael told police they then "exchanged words."

Michael told police the victim shoulder-checked him into a vehicle and jabbed his thumb into Michael's stomach. Michael told police that he then held the victim on the ground to defend himself. The victim then bit Michael's left arm, according to the police report, so Michael jabbed his left finger into the victim's left eye.

Read more: https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/crime-and-courts/2021/06/09/iowa-man-saylor-township-convicted-of-covid-19-face-mask-fight-assault-sentenced-to-prison/5035745001/

Polk County prosecutors offered a plea deal that would have allowed Michael to enter a plea to willful injury causing bodily Injury, a Class D felony and received a two-year probated sentence. Instead the prosecutors upgraded the charges to willful injury causing serious injury, a Class C forcible felony. Conviction on that charge has a mandatory 10-year sentence.