EVANSTON (WNE) — An Evanston man with no prior criminal history pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and battery and was sentenced in Third District Court last week.

John Rasmussen was sentenced to 8-10 years in prison for hitting his wife in the head with a hammer in July of 2020; however, that sentence was suspended in part and split in part.

Through a plea agreement with the Uinta County Attorney’s office, Rasmussen was sentenced to one year in the Uinta County Jail and three years of supervised probation.

With credit for the one year he had spent in jail since the incident occurred, Rasmussen was released on Friday, July 23, the day of sentencing.

Rasmussen was arrested on July 6, 2020, after police officers were summoned to the Rasmussen home when a woman called 911 to report she had been struck by an object. When they arrived, Evanston Police Department officers found Rasmussen’s wife confused and with injuries to her head.

Rasmussen subsequently told officers he had hit her in the head “two or three times” with a hammer because he “felt like it” and was “tired” of taking care of her.

In court last week, the victim spoke and said she did not agree with the plea deal because she was afraid Rasmussen would try to hurt her again. Uinta County Attorney Loretta Howieson-Kallas spoke in favor of the plea deal, although she recognized the victim did not agree with it.