NEBRASKA CITY – District Judge Julie Smith handed down the maximum prison term of two years for a Lincoln man who reportedly traveled at 114 mph on Highway 2 and went the wrong way into oncoming traffic before stop sticks ended a police pursuit near Nebraska City.

The judge said the conviction for driving while revoked and the criminal history for Souvahn Sonthana, 48,  shows he can not be expected to comply with orders of the court.

Smith: “The only way to keep you off the road is to incarcerate you.”

Defense Attorney Michael Ziskey noted that Sonthana had served all but two years of his 15-year license revocation without an incident, but Judge Smith said part of the reason there were no violations in that time frame was because Sonthana had spent time in prison.

Ziskey told the court he does not know what was going through Sonthana’s thoughts on Jan. 4.

An Otoe County Sheriff’s Office affidavit says a deputy observed Sonthana make several U-turns and drive the wrong way on Highway 2 while it snowed.

Ziskey disputed what happened after spike strips stopped the vehicle and Sonthana climbed out the sunroof, but County Attorney Jennifer Panko-Rahe said he attempted to run, wrestled with officers and was a threat of biting officers.

Panko-Rahe: “He does not exhibit proper driving behaviors. He basically thumbs his nose at traffic laws.”

Ziskey said his client was “having a panic episode or something like that.”