Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — A 33-year-old Stagecoach man pleaded guilty to two felonies Friday for stealing a truck in December and threatening a bus driver on New Year's Day.

Troy M. O'Neil could face a considerable amount of jail time because of his guilty pleas to second-degree aggravated motor vehicle theft and menacing, which are both class five felonies.

O'Neil entered the guilty pleas in front of 14th Judicial District Judge Joel S. Thompson.

O'Neil, who was dressed sharply in a blue sport coat, tie and khaki slacks, also pleaded guilty to violation of a bail bond condition and criminal mischief. Both charges are misdemeanors.

O'Neil also entered a no contest plea to a fifth charge, intimidating a witness, but received a two-year deferred sentence for that charge.

The charge will be dismissed from O'Neil's criminal record if he does not commit a criminal offense other than a minor traffic violation in the next two years.

However, O'Neil could receive a lengthy jail term when he is sentenced by Thompson at noon June 22.

O'Neil pleaded guilty to the charges after a plea agreement was negotiated between his attorney, James Horner, and Assistant District Attorney Kerry St. James.

O'Neil agreed to the plea agreement because he was facing more serious felony charges for three incidents that occurred in December and January.

O'Neil pleaded guilty to intimidating a witness and criminal mischief for an incident that occurred Dec. 3.

O'Neil got into more trouble days later when he stole a red 1989 Ford truck from Jim Stetson's ranch on County Road 14 in the early morning hours of Dec. 9.

O'Neil stole the truck after a vehicle he was in went off the road and became stuck.

With the stolen truck, O'Neil drove two other men home. He later disposed of the truck by putting it in gear and letting it travel into a field.

The truck's engine seized up, the radiator was damaged and a tire was blown out, causing $2,600 in damage.

Because of the plea agreement, O'Neil has agreed to pay $5,100 in restitution.

O'Neil was arrested weeks later, just after midnight Jan. 1. O'Neil got on a Steamboat Springs Transit bus and threatened its driver with a ski pole.

O'Neil could be sentenced to prison for as little as six months or as much as 12 years for each of the class five felonies. He could also be fined between $1,000 and $100,000.

For the bail bond conviction, O'Neil faces a mandatory six months in the Routt County Jail. He also could be sentenced to one year in the county jail for the criminal mischief conviction.

O'Neil is free on $50,000 bond, but Thompson ordered that he turn himself into the Routt County Jail by 5 p.m. Friday.

However, O'Neil said he was going to try to get a continuance from the bail bond company to allow him to remain free until he is sentenced in June.