SAN ANTONIO – A judge on Wednesday sentenced a San Antonio man to a pair of life in prison terms for firing 25 rounds from a AR-15 rifle at state troopers during a pursuit.
A jury in June found Martin Mercado, 33, guilty on two charges of attempted capital murder of a police officer and one charge of evading detention with a vehicle.
According to the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office, on June 9, 2019, Department of Public Safety troopers tried to stop a pickup Mercado was driving. But Mercado took off and led the officers on a high-speed chase while shooting at them with the assault rifle. At one point, Mercado was driving against traffic at speeds ranging from 80 to 100 mph. Troopers fired at Mercado’s vehicle before he stopped the truck. He then led officers on a foot chase before he was arrested.
Mercado was sentenced to life in prison for each charge of attempted capital murder of a police officer. He was also sentenced to 30 years in prison on the charge of evading detention with a vehicle.
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