A man described as a "career criminal" by California authorities was sentenced to 10 years in prison in connection to the New Year’s Eve attack that killed a 70-year-old off-duty San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Deputy , officials said Monday.

KTLA reports that Alonzo Leron Smith, 30, pleaded no contest to voluntary manslaughter, threatening a crime and three counts of assault by means of force likely to produce great bodily injury in the death of Lawrence “Larry” Falce back in December 2018, according to San Bernardino County Superior Court records.

Falce and Smith were involved in a traffic collision in January 2018 after Smith rear-ended the deputy’s vehicle, which had slowed down when Falce noticed a dog on the road, San Bernardino Police Department officials said.

Less than a minute after the two men approached each other, Smith punched the deputy in the head. Falce dropped to the ground and lost consciousness.

He died at a hospital a few days later.