He’s going to prison for shooting a cop. The cop taunted him with K-Y Jelly in court.
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SUBSCRIBE NOW BY JARED GILMOUR jgilmour@mcclatchy.com
NOVEMBER 30, 2017 08:19 PM
A Florida police officer was taking his 14-year-old child to school in March 2016 when he spotted a reckless driver.
Though he wasn’t on duty, the undercover Jacksonville, Fla. officer tried to pull over Kevin Rojas, who was then 19, the Associated Press reports.
That’s when Rojas got out of his white Cadillac and started shooting at the officer, police said. The officer was sporting a ballistic vest that said “police” on it at the time, WLTV reports.
Rojas’ shots missed the officer’s son, AP reports, but ended up hitting the officer three times, according to police. The officer shot back, but Rojas fled the scene by stealing another vehicle, and then barricaded himself in a house. Other officers pursued him, and shot Rojas three times before he was apprehended.
When the officer spoke at Rojas’ sentencing this week, he pulled out a bottle of the personal lubricant K-Y Jelly , the Florida Times-Union reports.
“I brought a little gift for you,” the officer told Rojas, according to Action News Jax . “You will need it where you are going.”
Rojas, now 21, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for trying to kill the officer and his son, News4Jax reports. Rojas was also convicted of two counts of aggravated assault, one count of grand theft auto and one count of fleeing or attempting to elude police.
The officer also said in court that Rojas had been spineless during their encounter, ambushing the officer when he was with his child.
“When I brought the fight back, you ran like a coward,” the officer said, Action News Jax reports.
Rojas had been running away from a fight with his live-in girlfriend, police said, when the undercover officer had tried to make the 2016 traffic stop, the Times-Union reports.
During the trial, the officer described the near-death encounter in detail, the Times-Union reports.
“When I see the car door opening, I start to look behind me to go open my door,” the officer testified. “That’s when I hear the gunshots, and the glass shattering. … When he shoots me in the head, I get a whiplash back. I see the blood splatter. At this time, I know — I realize I got shot.”
It will be 25 years before Rojas can be considered for parole, according to News4Jax.
“Obviously that day changed my life, and it will never be the same,” the officer, who hasn’t been named to protect his undercover status, said in court, News4Jax reports.
The judge handed down the maximum prison sentence for each of the crimes Rojas was convicted of, according to the Times-Union.
“I’m pretty sure Mr. Rojas doesn’t understand what the rest of his life means,” Judge James Daniel said Wednesday, the Times-Union reports.
Dramatic court presentation of officer who captured his own shooting on video
After a two-day jury trial, Malcolm Antwan Orr, 29, of Estill, was convicted of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime. On Wednesday, Orr was sentenced to 35 years in prison, 14th circuit solicitor McDuffie Stone, said in a news release.
Sign up today for a free 30 day free trial of unlimited digital access.
SUBSCRIBE NOW BY JARED GILMOUR jgilmour@mcclatchy.com
NOVEMBER 30, 2017 08:19 PM
A Florida police officer was taking his 14-year-old child to school in March 2016 when he spotted a reckless driver.
Though he wasn’t on duty, the undercover Jacksonville, Fla. officer tried to pull over Kevin Rojas, who was then 19, the Associated Press reports.
That’s when Rojas got out of his white Cadillac and started shooting at the officer, police said. The officer was sporting a ballistic vest that said “police” on it at the time, WLTV reports.
Rojas’ shots missed the officer’s son, AP reports, but ended up hitting the officer three times, according to police. The officer shot back, but Rojas fled the scene by stealing another vehicle, and then barricaded himself in a house. Other officers pursued him, and shot Rojas three times before he was apprehended.
When the officer spoke at Rojas’ sentencing this week, he pulled out a bottle of the personal lubricant K-Y Jelly , the Florida Times-Union reports.
“I brought a little gift for you,” the officer told Rojas, according to Action News Jax . “You will need it where you are going.”
Rojas, now 21, was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for trying to kill the officer and his son, News4Jax reports. Rojas was also convicted of two counts of aggravated assault, one count of grand theft auto and one count of fleeing or attempting to elude police.
The officer also said in court that Rojas had been spineless during their encounter, ambushing the officer when he was with his child.
“When I brought the fight back, you ran like a coward,” the officer said, Action News Jax reports.
Rojas had been running away from a fight with his live-in girlfriend, police said, when the undercover officer had tried to make the 2016 traffic stop, the Times-Union reports.
During the trial, the officer described the near-death encounter in detail, the Times-Union reports.
“When I see the car door opening, I start to look behind me to go open my door,” the officer testified. “That’s when I hear the gunshots, and the glass shattering. … When he shoots me in the head, I get a whiplash back. I see the blood splatter. At this time, I know — I realize I got shot.”
It will be 25 years before Rojas can be considered for parole, according to News4Jax.
“Obviously that day changed my life, and it will never be the same,” the officer, who hasn’t been named to protect his undercover status, said in court, News4Jax reports.
The judge handed down the maximum prison sentence for each of the crimes Rojas was convicted of, according to the Times-Union.
“I’m pretty sure Mr. Rojas doesn’t understand what the rest of his life means,” Judge James Daniel said Wednesday, the Times-Union reports.
Dramatic court presentation of officer who captured his own shooting on video
After a two-day jury trial, Malcolm Antwan Orr, 29, of Estill, was convicted of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during commission of a violent crime. On Wednesday, Orr was sentenced to 35 years in prison, 14th circuit solicitor McDuffie Stone, said in a news release.
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