BONIFAY — A DeFuniak Springs man rejected his attorney’s advice to plead no contest on charges related to the suspect firing shots at a Holmes County Sheriff’s deputy during a 2008 pursuit.
A status hearing was called for 42-year-old Matthew Olin Bryant on Thursday leading up to the suspect’s trial beginning next week. In September 2008, Holmes County Sheriff deputy Lt. Michael Raley pulled over a suspicious vehicle thought to be connected to a burglary call received a few days prior. Bryan was driving the vehicle and handed his driver’s license over to Raley, but Bryant sped away and a pursuit began.
During the pursuit, Bryan allegedly fired a 12-guage shotgun at Raley’s vehicle, striking the hood and windshield. Raley was struck in the head as shots pierced the windshield, causing non-life-threatening injuries.
Bryan was later located by Walton County Sheriff’s deputies near his DeFuniak Springs home. He was still armed and fled once again on foot but was captured and arrested after a multi-agency manhunt.
Bryan was charged with aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, discharging a firearm from a vehicle, shooting into an occupied vehicle, possession of a firearm by a felon and attempting to elude police.
After sitting down for nearly an hour with his attorneys and members of his family for a status conference Thursday, Bryan went against the advice of his attorneys Clay Adkinson and Clayton J.M. Adkinson to accept a plea of no contest on all charges carrying maximum penalties of life in prison for aggravated battery on the deputy, 15 years for each charge of possessing and shooting the firearm and five years for attempting to elude police.
Bryan tried instead to negotiate a guilty plea in exchange for 11 years in prison plus credit for his time served since the incident almost seven years ago.
Circuit Judge Christopher Patterson advised Bryan that Thursday’s conference was his last opportunity to negotiate a plea with the state’s attorney. He didn’t budge on entering the new plea.
Bryan’s trial is the only one scheduled next week in Holmes County. Jury selection begins Monday at 8:30 a.m.