Lawrence man sentenced to 144 months in prison for battering an off-duty police officer

Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez today announced that Zachary T. Maddux, 20, of Lawrence, was sentenced to 144 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for striking an off-duty law enforcement officer with a tire iron. 

“Everyone should be able to walk our streets without fear of violence,” District Attorney Valdez said. “The decisions made by this young man could have had fatal consequences.”

Maddux had pleaded guilty to aggravated battery in July 2024. Charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on November 4, 2022, when a group of teens that included Maddux assaulted an off-duty Lawrence Kansas Police Department officer as he walked along Bob Billings Parkway near Legend Trail Drive. The officer, who was struck on his head with the tire iron, was able to get away from the group and seek treatment for his injuries. 

In sentencing Maddux, Judge Stacey Donovan stated that Maddux also must register as a violent offender for 15 years and serve 36 months on supervision upon release from prison.

Deputy District Attorney David Greenwald and Senior Assistant District Attorney Ricardo Leal represented the State of Kansas. The matter was investigated by the Lawrence Kansas Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.