An immigration-reform protester who struck a stranger in the face with a PVC pipe after the stranger complained that protesters were partially blocking the sidewalk in front of Portland City Hall has been sentenced to three years in prison.

William Bryant Pierce, 34, was arrested shortly after authorities say he left the scene on Aug. 9, 2018.

William Bryant Pierce, 34, was sentenced to three years in prison for attacking a passerby with a PVC pipe. (Multnomah County Sheriff's Office)

The attack came on the fourth day that protesters had been camping outside City Hall as they expressed their unhappiness with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency.

The encounter began as the victim, Tim Schmitz, was walking in front of City Hall when he and protesters “exchanged words” about “sidewalk accessibility,” according to a probable cause affidavit and information provided by police at the time. Schmitz then got into his car parked nearby and drove by City Hall as he was leaving the area.

He stopped at a red light at Southwest Fourth Avenue and Madison Street when he and protesters again got into a “verbal exchange” and that’s when Pierce struck him with the pipe through an open car window, according to the affidavit. After Pierce struck him, Schmitz threw a coffee mug out the window of his car but didn’t hit anyone, the affidavit states.

Schmitz told authorities that many protesters had yelled at him and threatened him, but Pierce’s “attitude went from zero to 150, in a matter of seconds prior to his attack.”

When police arrived, Schmitz was bleeding severely from a gash above his left eye, the affidavit states.

When police found Pierce about a half a mile away, Pierce told them that Schmitz attacked him and that Schmitz should be arrested.

Court papers say Schmitz lives in Washington but was in downtown Portland that morning to attend grand jury.

The next morning, the city posted a 24-hour notice calling for protesters to clear their campsite, saying it was illegal. Protesters packed up and left on their own.

Earlier this month, Pierce pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree assault during a hearing in Multnomah County Circuit Court. On Friday, as part of a plea agreement worked out between the defense and prosecution, Multnomah County Circuit Judge Leslie Bottomly sentenced Pierce to the three-year prison term and two years of post-prison supervision.

According to court papers, Pierce told jailers that he uses THC daily and LSD intermittently. He said he was homeless and living off food stamps.

-- Aimee Green

agreen@oregonian.com

o_aimee

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