Man Who Shot At Police With AK-47 Gets 700+ Year Sentence
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (CBS4) - A judge in Douglas County on Friday sentenced a convicted felon who shot at 27 police officers to more than 700 years in prison.
Lonnie Pebley, 43, will spend 736 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.
"Seven-hundred and thirty-six years is justice in this case for this evil that was on them," said 18th Judicial District Assistant District Attorney Mark Hulbert.
The judge and the district attorney both said they felt that was a just sentence considering more than two dozen officers' lives were put at risk.
The crime took place over a 30 minute period in Castle Rock on July 4, 2012. Pebley fired about 70 rounds with an AK-47 and a handgun from his house.
"Lonnie Pebley set out to kill as many officers as he could. He attempted to kill the very officers who protect and service our community each and every day. For 30 minutes our officers endured high powered rounds being shot at them as Lonnie Pebley was determined to kill them," Castle Rock Police Chief Jack Cauley said.
Pebley then ran from the home and a manhunt that lasted about seven hours took place.
The judge on Friday during Pebley's sentencing hearing commended the restrain that the officers used that day. They only fired two rounds back at Pebley.
"The tactical team rescued the men and women of the Castle Rock Police Department who were being pinned down by gunfire with the use of the regional SWAT teams' bear cat, which just so happens that piece of equipment was put into service that day," said Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock.
"They heard rounds whizzing by their heads, by their hands. They had to check to see if they were hurt," said Cauley.
Pebley's defense claims he was experiencing possible psychosis from a new arthritis medication, but the jury found him guilty of 46 counts, including attempted first degree murder.
Pebley didn't have any legal grounds for possessing firearms at the time of the shootout because he was a convicted felon.
