SAC CITY — A man accused of running into traffic, chasing vehicles and screaming in the early morning hours wound up spitting at two police officers and attempting to bite one of them, prosecutors say. Now Christian Onei Vaca has been sentenced to consecutive prison terms totaling up to four years.
The Sac County Attorney’s Office announced October 15, 2026, that Vaca was convicted October 13 in Iowa District Court for Sac County on two counts of assault on a peace officer, each an aggravated misdemeanor. District Associate Judge Joseph McCarville ordered him to begin serving his sentence immediately.
Chaos erupts on Main Street
The confrontation began in the early morning hours of July 22, 2026, when a Sac City police officer responded to a report of a man running into the street, chasing vehicles and screaming.
The officer found Vaca (pictured at top) intoxicated in the roadway on Main Street, according to Sac County Attorney Ben Smith. Vaca confronted the officer while holding a whiskey bottle in a threatening manner and refused repeated requests to calm down.
When the officer attempted to arrest him, Vaca resisted in the middle of Main Street, spat at the officer and tried to bite him. Passing motorists used their vehicles to shield the officer and Vaca from traffic, the prosecutor said.
Second officer targeted during jail transport
The confrontation did not end with the arrest. While being taken to the Sac County Jail, Vaca repeatedly spat on a second officer, according to the prosecutor’s account.
The Sac City Police Department investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the Sac County Attorney’s Office.
Judge orders consecutive prison terms
On October 13, Judge McCarville imposed two indeterminate prison terms of up to two years each, ordering them served consecutively for a combined term not to exceed four years.
That is a maximum term, not a finding that Vaca will serve exactly four years. Actual time served is subject to Iowa correctional and release procedures.
The judge directed Vaca to begin the sentence immediately.
NorthIowaToday.com has previously covered an unrelated Northern Iowa case involving an alleged attempt to run down a police officer.
The October 15 release from Sac County Attorney Ben Smith did not identify Vaca’s age or hometown.