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PRICE — A man has pleaded guilty to running over a man on a bicycle with his sport-utility vehicle.

Matthew Alan Thatcher was initially charged in 7th District Court with attempted murder, a second-degree felony, but pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault, a third-degree felony.

Thatcher, 34, also pleaded guilty to failure to remain at the scene of a crash with serious injury, a third-degree felony. A misdemeanor charge for failure to have proof of insurance was dismissed.

In a court document filed as part of his plea, Thatcher admitted that he ran over a 33-year-old man with his Jeep Grand Cherokee on Aug. 17.

After he was knocked off the bike, the victim got up and tried to run away, according to Price police. Thatcher pursued him in the Jeep and ran him over a second time, dragging him a short distance before driving away, investigators said.

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The victim was hospitalized with serious injuries.

Investigators later learned Thatcher and the injured man were involved in an ongoing property dispute. Thatcher saw the man riding a bicycle and "seized the opportunity to run the victim over," Price Police Capt. Bill Barnes said shortly after Thatcher's arrest.

Thatcher is scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 24.

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