Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon announced today that a 41-year-old man who attacked two people in Cohoes in 2023 is heading to state prison.

The Honorable Jennifer Sober sentenced Thomas Spears in Albany County Court Friday to serve 17 years in state prison followed by five years of post-release supervision for the charges of Attempted Murder in the Second Degree, two counts of Attempted Assault in the First Degree, and Assault in the Second Degree.

“I’m glad that we were able to secure a strong sentence in this case and send a message that any act of violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent the law allows,” Kindlon said.

Spears pleaded guilty to the charges that stemmed from a June 12, 2023, crime spree that began just after 3 p.m. at Columbia Gardens Apartments, where Spears approached a woman, grabbed her head, and dug his fingers into her eyes. The victim was able to break free and run for help, but not before suffering a hemorrhage to her right eye.

Later that evening around 11 p.m., police responded to the Stewart’s Shops at 480 Columbia St. for a stabbing. Spears approached the victim and stabbed him in the neck with a screwdriver. The incident was captured on Stewart’s surveillance video.

That victim read an impact statement before sentencing today, telling the court that he still suffers physically and emotionally from the attack each day.

“It wasn’t just an assault on my body, it was an assault on every part of my life,” he said.

Neither victim was known to Spears.

“I would like to acknowledge the work of our officers and detectives in apprehending Spears after his day-long crime spree in Cohoes,” Cohoes Chief Todd Waldin said. “I would also like to recognize the Albany County District Attorney’s Office for securing an attempted murder conviction in order to provide some sense of relief to the people victimized by Spears."

The case was handled by Assistant District Attorney Stephen Lydon of the Major Crimes Unit.