The Cambridge man who crashed his pickup truck into a deputy’s cruiser while fleeing from police legally should never have been behind the wheel that night in early January.

Robert Richmond, 54, had his license suspended for life nearly 15 years ago but has continued to accumulate OVI convictions and further suspensions in the years to follow.

Now on his seventh OVI case, Richmond will also be serving his lengthiest prison sentence yet.

On Jan. 4,, officers from the Zanesville Police Department began pursuing Richmond after he fled from a traffic stop on Maple Avenue near Northpointe Drive.

Throughout the chase, Richmond blew through several traffic lights and stop signs, nearly causing an accident with another motorist along the way, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Gerald Anderson said during Richmond’s plea last month.

The pursuit eventually ended when Richmond drove over the concrete median in front of Wendy’s on Maple Avenue and into the cruiser of Muskingum County Sheriff’s Deputy Brodie Brewer, who was heading south on Maple Avenue to assist.

When officers went to arrest Richmond, he refused to exit his pickup truck, resulting in the need to break his window to pull him out of the vehicle.  

In the crash, Brewer was checked out at Genesis Hospital for potential injuries before he was quickly released.

Richmond was also treated at the hospital where he underwent blood and urine tests that came back positive for methamphetamine.

Officers also found what was suspected to be a meth pipe in Richmond’s truck.

Richmond was charged in two related cases with one count of OVI with a prior offense, felonious assault on a peace officer and failure to comply with risk of harm.

In a third and separate case, Richmond pleaded guilty to illegal conveyance of drugs in which he was caught with methamphetamine in his pocket while being booked into jail prior to leading police on a pursuit.

During sentencing Monday, Judge Kelly Cottrill asked Richmond if he knew how many people he put at risk by driving while intoxicated.

“You get this weapon that most people call an automobile,” said Cottrill. “To you, it’s a weapon.”

On all charges combined, Cottrill sentenced Richmond to 10 years in prison, with eight years being mandatory.

He also imposed a $1,500 fine and another lifetime license suspension, “not that it matters,” Cottrill added.