Man with Manslaughter Conviction Accused of Assaulting Albany Officer

An Albany man who was sentenced to 13 years in state prison for killing a University of California at Berkeley graduate student in a collision while he was fleeing from police in 2005 is now standing trial for allegedly assaulting an Albany police officer last year.

Adam K. Jones, 41, is accused of smashing a 40-ounce beer bottle over the head of Albany police Sgt. Christopher Willis at the Arco AM/PM gas station at Marin and San Pablo avenues at about 2:20 p.m. on Aug. 16, 2015, after Willis responded to a report that a man was standing in the street yelling at cars.

Albany police Officer Michael Gibson testified at Jones' non-jury trial today that when he responded to the incident on his motorcycle he saw Jones "pick up a 40-ounce beer bottle and smash it across his (Willis') head" and that Jones swung the bottle "with all his might."

Gibson said Willis fell to the ground and Jones stood over the officer with his fists clenched and shouted at the officer that he had warned the officer not to mess with him. Gibson said he got off his motorcycle and approached Jones but had to use his Taser stun gun on Jones because Jones didn't respond to his commands.

Asked by Jones' lawyer, Neil Hallinan, if Jones still had part of the beer bottle in his hand when he stood over Willis, Gibson said, "No, because if he did I would have had to shoot him."

Jones was convicted in November 2006 of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, vehicular manslaughter and evading police for a Feb. 23, 2005, crash that claimed the life of 24-year-old Jie Wang, a
chemistry graduate student.

Alameda County Superior Court Judge Julie Conger said she sentenced Jones to the maximum term possible because he had two prior convictions for being chased by the police and causing injuries and his performance on probation was "unsatisfactory."

"Mr. Jones has a pattern of running from the police and disregarding the safety of others," Conger said.

According to police, Wang was injured after Jones crashed his Honda Civic into Wang's 1995 Ford Aspire at the intersection of Ashby and San Pablo avenues in Berkeley. Prosecutors said Jones was fleeing from Albany
police officers at the time of the accident.

Wang remained in a coma after the accident until his parents, who flew from Shanghai to the Bay Area, decided to remove him from life support at Highland Hospital in Oakland on March 10, 2005.

Prosecutors said Jones was under the influence of methamphetamines and alcohol, didn't have a driver's license -- in fact, he never had one -- and there was a warrant for his arrest at the time of the collision. Jones lawyer at that trial, Thomas Broome, complained that Jones' 13-year sentence was "harsh" and "excessive."

But Jones didn't serve the full 13 years and was on parole when he allegedly assaulted Willis last year.
Prosecutor Keydon Levy said Willis suffered a concussion and cuts to his face and had to be assigned to light desk duties before he was finally able to return to his regular duty.

Gibson testified that he took care when he responded to the incident because Jones "had a tendency to be aggressive toward police officers."

In a videotape of the incident that was played in court, Gibson told Jones after he detained him, "You're going back to prison."

When Jones asked why that was the case, Gibson said, "For smashing a cop in the face with a frigging beer bottle."

Testimony in Jones' trial is expected to conclude on Thursday. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Trina Thompson, who is presiding over the case, will issue her verdict at a later date.

By Bay City News

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