But he did not appear for sentencing, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

More than 17 years passed before he first learned of the warrant, from law enforcement authorities in Vermont when he came into the United States from Canada last month, his current lawyer, Patrick Toscano, said.

When Mr. Barrier went to court to address the matter in October, Mr. Toscano said, sheriff’s officers took him to the county jail. He remained there until he was freed on bail on Nov. 12.

The 2001 episode that started it all began with Mr. Barrier failing to pull his Range Rover over as directed by the police, court records show. It ended with a patrol car crashing into his vehicle to bring it to a halt, Mr. Toscano said.

In Bergen County Superior Court on Friday, Mr. Toscano argued that Mr. Barrier should be spared jail or prison time. The top count he admitted to in 2002 carried a possible sentence of up to five years.

Prosecutors argued for Mr. Barrier to serve the jail term he agreed to in 2002.

“If he would have shown up when he was supposed to show up, he would have gotten 364 days,” said Ron McCormick, an assistant Bergen County prosecutor.