On Friday, 43-year-old Lonnie James Pebley, was sentenced to 736 years in prison. He will serve his time at the Douglas County Department of Corrections for the much-publicized shootout with Castle Rock Police in 2012.
The incident began on July 4, at nearly midnight, when the police got a call that a man with a gun was hiding in the bushes at the intersection of Appleton Way and S. Ridge Road. After searching the area, officers spoke with the defendant’s brother who let them know the man they were searching for was his in fact Pebley.
Police then tried to contact the defendant before going to his home on S. Ridge Road. There they found Pebley in his vehicle, with a gun. As they approached the car the defendant tried to flee, taking officers on a police chase. Finally stopping, Pebley got out of his car and fired his gun at the officers. Pebley shot nearly 70 times before he was apprehended.
“The largest shootout in Douglas County’s memory mercifully resulted in no loss of loss enforcement lives, only the justified loss of the would be cop-killers liberty,” said District Attorney George Brauchler.
Pebley was charged and convicted by a Douglas County Jury in February of this year. The defendant, was then sentenced on Friday, May 8, for:
- 15 counts of Attempted First Degree Murder (F2)
- 12 counts of First Degree Assault – Threatening a Peace Officer with a Weapon (F3)
- 1 count Criminal Mischief – $1000-$20,000 (F4)
- 1 count of Weapon – Prohibited Use – Reckless with a Gun (M2)
- 17 counts of Reckless Endangerment (ME)
“In the summer of 2012 Lonnie Pebley attempted to murder our police officers. Today, we witnessed justice served,” Castle Rock Police Department Chief Jack Cauley continued, “This convicted felon will now be held accountable for his actions and will no longer pose a threat to our community, neighbors, families and friends.”
