By DEBRA HAIGHT

Special to Leader Publications

An Oct. 16 sentencing date in Berrien County Trial Court has been set for Travis Tyler Wise. Wise accepted a plea deal Wednesday that had the prosecution dropping five of six counts against him. He had been set to go to trial next week.

Wise, 19, of Middlebury, Indiana, agreed Wednesday to plead no contest to one count of assault with intent to commit murder. He will receive a minimum prison sentence of 15 years in exchange for five other charges being dismissed when he is sentenced Oct. 16 before Judge Angela Pasula.

The five other charges being dismissed are assault by strangulation, resisting and obstructing police causing injury, attempting to disarm a police officer, obstruction of justice and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder.

The assault with intent to murder charge was the most serious, carrying a maximum penalty of life in prison. The resisting and obstructing police causing injury charge could have brought a consecutive sentence into play if Wise had gone to trial.

Assistant Prosecutor Gerald Vigansky said the plea agreement calls for a mandatory minimum prison term of 15 years with the maximum term left up to Pasula. Defense attorney Paul Jancha, Jr. said Wise is pleading no contest because of civil liability concerns. Wise can withdraw his plea if Pasula does not accept the agreement.

Wise asked for a forensic examination in the spring and was found competent to stand trial in late June.

The incident occurred Feb. 20 on U.S. 31 in Niles Township. Trooper Garry Guild had stopped Wise’s half-brother Michael Barber for speeding on what turned out to be a stolen motorcycle and was struggling to arrest Barber.

Wise was a passenger in a car trailing Barber and stopped to help Barber. As Guild testified earlier this year, Wise put him in a chokehold from behind and was cutting off his airway. Guild was able to escape Wise’s choking and Barber’s attempt to grab his gun when two motorists stopped to rescue Guild.

“The testimony (from a March preliminary hearing for Wise) shows clearly that you were trying to injury Trooper Guild,” Pasula told Wise Wednesday. “You had the ability to cause injury and you intended to kill him. The trooper was unable to breathe.”

Barber was convicted in a May jury trial and was sentenced in June to 14 years in prison.