A Sandy resident who went on a four-day tire-slashing spree targeting his neighbors earlier this year has been sentenced to three years in state prison as part of a plea deal.
Tyler D. Hardy punctured tires on more than 100 vehicles between March 5 and March 8 during several overnight rampages through central Sandy.
Hardy, 29, was also convicted of keying about a dozen cars in Sandy last October as part of a separate case resolved by the plea deal. He pleaded guilty to 10 counts of first-degree criminal mischief in total.
Hardy will be required to pay “significant restitution” under the terms of the deal, but prosecutors are still gathering claims, Clackamas County Deputy District Attorney Jeremy Morrow said in court last month.
Defense attorney Thomas Hanrahan said Hardy had been a longtime methamphetamine addict and that the drug use eventually deluded him into believing his neighbors had stolen from him or were “out to get him.”
“My client spent a few weeks in custody, became incredibly clear-minded and immediately wanted to take accountability for his actions,” Hanrahan said.
Circuit Judge Thomas Rastetter granted Hardy credit for time served and ruled he would be eligible for sentence reduction programs that reward good behavior.
“I’ve heard that the new meth just makes you paranoid a lot faster?” Rastetter asked.
“Yes, absolutely,” Hardy replied.
Hardy has convictions in six previous cases dating back to 2009, when he was a teenager, including for first-degree burglary, theft and second-degree criminal mischief, court records show.
— Zane Sparling; zsparling@oregonian.com; 503-319-7083; @pdxzane
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