STOCKTON (AP) — A Manteca man who drove 51 miles with his wife clinging to the hood of his minivan has pleaded guilty and agreed to be sentenced to five years in prison.

Christopher Carroll entered the plea to attempted murder and spousal abuse charges Wednesday as part of a deal with prosecutors, who downgraded the murder charge to say Carroll’s actions were not premeditated.

The 26-year-old Manteca resident was arrested after the February incident, which authorities say stemmed from an argument. Carroll’s 25-year-old wife, Rebecca, stood in front of the van as he tried to drive away.

She recounted in court Wednesday that her husband turned up the music to drown out her screams and swerved through freeway traffic to throw her off the van.

Several days before the incident Carroll had tied up police officers and fire crews as they tried to coax him out of a dumpster with several inches of rain water on Mission Ridge Drive. Police said he was lying face down in the bin appearing to be trying to drown himself and then drinking the water and spitting some over the sides.   He remained out of sight for some 45 minutes as he rambled on to those who were attempting to rescue him.  After that incident on Feb. 24 he was booked in jail booked for being under the influence in public.