A St. Joseph man told a judge Thursday that he fled from law officers because he and his female passenger both had warrants, and his girlfriend would have left him if they got caught.

Lance Pollard pleaded guilty to one count of resisting a lawful stop by fleeing, a class-e felony. He admitted fleeing from officers on Mar. 30 after seeing them trying to pull him over. He said the chase started at about 11th and Blake and ended near Belt and Pear, about five miles.

He admitted hitting the strike force vehicle “and one or two others.” As we reported, one of the Strike Force officers required medical attention, but officials say he was not seriously hurt.

During a court hearing Thursday, Circuit Judge Daniel Kellogg asked Pollard why he didn’t stop.

“The woman with me had warrants, I had warrants, my girlfriend would have left me,” Pollard said.

Pollard waived a pre-sentence investigation, and as part of an agreement with prosecutors was sentenced to four years in prison.