ATHENS, Georgia -- A lengthy prison sentence was imposed on an Athens man who pleaded guilty last week to firing an AK-47 assault rifle at a Georgia State Patrol trooper earlier this year, according to Northern Circuit District Attorney Parks White.
Timothy Damond Carruth Jr., 24, entered the plea in Madison County Superior Court to aggravated assault on a peace officer, attempting to elude and other charges stemming from a high-speed pursuit Jan. 19.
Superior Court Judge Jeffery Malcom sentenced Carruth as a recidivist due to prior felony convictions to a term of 25 years, with 18 years in prison without parole. Carruth was currently on probation in Athens for an unrelated aggravated assault conviction.
Carruth, who was living in Colbert at the time but had previously lived in Athens, had a "substantial criminal history," White said in a post on his Facebook page.
"Carruth had a long history of violent felony convictions in Athens, but had unfortunately never faced real justice. He was given probation over and over or very short custodial sentences," White wrote.
The crime in Madison County occurred after Trooper Jordan Ginnel attempted to stop Carruth's car for running a stop sign, White said Friday.
Carruth fled from the trooper along Georgia Highway 72 near Colbert, White said. Ginnel attempted two PIT maneuvers, the second one sending Carruth's car off the road, according to White.
Carruth then exited the car with the AK-47 and opened fire on the trooper, who was not hit, the prosecutor said.
Ginnel returned fire and Carruth ran into nearby woods, where officers from Clarke and Oglethorpe counties joined the manhunt. Carruth was located by tracking dogs about a quarter of a mile from the shooting scene, according to reports.
Carruth hid the assault rifle, but White said that after he was in custody, he was overheard telling someone over the phone where to find an item. When officers went to the location, they recovered the assault gun wrapped in a red bandanna, according to White.
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