Plea Reached in April's Aggravated Assault Outside of Burrito King

07/23/2009
CONTACT INFO: Charles Branson Douglas County District Attorney 785-841-0211 cbranson@douglas-county.com Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces Lawrence resident Stephen R. Patterson, 21, plead guilty yesterday to Aggravated Assault with a handgun (Level 7/Person/Felony) and Battery (Class B/Person/Misdemeanor) in the case that occurred outside of Burrito King. He also entered a plea on a July 2008 Possession of Cocaine (Level 4/Drug/Felony) charge. Investigation into the case began when the Lawrence Police Department (LPD) was dispatched to 900 Illinois Street in reference to a disturbance call with weapons. When an LPD officer contacted the first victim, it was discovered he had pulled up to the drive-through lane of Burrito King and was standing outside his vehicle while ordering food for himself and three friends seated in his car. As he completed his order, a car rear-ended his vehicle. The victim attempted to speak to the person (later determined to be Patterson) driving the car. Patterson excited his vehicle, pulled a handgun out of his pocket and the victim quickly backed away. A passenger in the vehicle, who was unaware of the handgun approached Patterson and was punched in the face. As the victims were attempting to get away from Patterson, he fired a shot into the air. Patterson, depending on his criminal history, faces seven to 23 months in custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC) for the Aggravated Assault charge, ten to 24 months in the custody of KDOC for the Possession of Cocaine charge and up to 6 months in the Douglas County Jail on the battery charge. He will be sentenced on September 3 at 10:00 a.m. The case was heard in the courtroom of the Honorable Paula B. Martin, the case was investigated by LPD and Assistant District Attorneys Eve Kemple and Michael Allen prosecuted the case. -30-

Media Contact:
Cheryl L. Wright-Assistant to the District Attorney
District Attorney's Office
785-841-0211
cwright@douglas-county.com