By DEBRA HAIGHT

Special to Leader Publications

The teen who attacked a Michigan State Police trooper during a February traffic stop on the U.S. 31 freeway was sentenced to prison Monday in Berrien County Trial Court, despite his last minute attempt to withdraw his plea.

Travis Tyler Wise, 19, of Middlebury, Indiana, pleaded no contest last month to one count of assault with intent to murder and was sentenced Monday by Berrien County Trial Judge Angela Pasula to a prison term of 15 to 50 years.

He has credit for 238 days already served and must pay $2,044.11 in fines, costs and restitution.

The 15-year prison term was the result of a plea agreement between the defense and prosecution. The five charges dismissed were 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.

Wise’s brother, Michael Scott Barber, was stopped Feb. 20 for speeding on what turned out to be a stolen motorcycle on U.S. 31 in Niles Township by Trooper Garry Guild. Barber resisted Guild’s attempt to arrest him and Wise arrived on the scene and started choking Guild. Guild was rescued by two motorists who stopped to help.

Barber was convicted in a May jury trial and was sentenced in June to 14 years in prison. He was found guilty of six counts, including assault by strangulation and assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder, all as a habitual offender.

Wise’s attempt to withdraw his plea at the start of Monday’s proceedings was rejected by Judge Pasula.

“He wishes to withdraw his plea, he no longer wishes to accept the agreement and he wishes to proceed to trial,” said defense attorney Paul Jancha, Jr.

Jancha said Wise felt intimidated after conversations with other inmates the day of the plea in September. For his part, Assistant Prosecutor Gerald Vigansky said allowing Wise to withdraw his plea would not be in the interest of justice.

“It’s just prolonging the inevitable because he doesn’t want to be sentenced today,” Vigansky said.

Judge Pasula denied Wise’s motion, noting that Wise had stated substantial facts about the case under oath during the September hearing. She said Wise had received the benefit of the plea agreement in that several other charges were dismissed and called Wise’s desire to withdraw his plea a matter of “normal anxiety” over his sentencing.

In remarks before the sentencing, Vigansky said Wise was lucky to be facing assault with intent to murder and not murder charges.

“He took Trooper Guild’s life in his hands until two civilians came by,” he said. “He was gasping for his last breath.”

Both Vigansky and Pasula expressed concern over Wise’s statements to Michigan Department of Corrections officers that he would not do anything different if he had the chance to go back.

“It struck me that you said you felt the trooper was responsible because he had run your brother off the road and you felt family came first,” Pasula said.

“You were involved in a criminal act of true savagery and you have a true lack of remorse,” she said. “… Your actions were intentional, premeditated and clearly dangerous.”

She called the incident a “harsh reminder” of the dangers police officers face every day as they work to keep the public safe.

“We expect police officers to keep us safe,” she said. “This is a harsh reminder of the understated and underappreciated services officers provide every day.”