Man sentenced in 2021 incident in which he fired shots at a Roseville police officer
A Placer Superior Court judge on Wednesday sentenced a Citrus Heights man to 30 years to life in prison for firing a gun at a Roseville police officer during a vehicle chase two years ago on Interstate 80, prosecutors said.
Judge Garen Horst sentenced 27-year-old Rafael Vital, who was found guilty of attempted murder late last month. The Placer County jury also found Vital guilty of evading a police officer and assault with a semiautomatic firearm in connection with the shooting, according to a news release from the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.
The police chase began about 2 a.m. April 20, 2021, when an officer tried to pull over the vehicle for a traffic stop near Harding and Douglas boulevards, the Roseville Police Department has said. The vehicle did not pull over, and the pursuit ensued.
The pursuit continued onto I-80 heading west. The suspect driver, later identified as Vital, fired two gunshots at the officer, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
“While on the freeway, Vital slammed on his brakes and stopped,” prosecutors said in the news release. “The officer got out of his car to approach when Vital reached out of his driver’s side window and fired shots at the officer.”
No injuries were reported. The officer “feared for their life” but did not return fire due to the danger posed to passing vehicles on the freeway, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
Police said the suspect vehicle exited the freeway at Riverside Avenue in Roseville, where the vehicle became disabled. Prosecutors said Vital lost control of the car and crashed into a freeway retaining wall.
Vital got out of the vehicle, police said, and authorities began a search. The westbound lanes of I-80 were shut down for about four hours. Police told residents to shelter in place and report any suspicious activity as they searched for the suspect who was considered “armed and dangerous.”
About 6:30 a.m., the Police Department announced that the suspect was found and taken into custody without further incident.
“This case is a reminder of the dangers our officers face as they put their lives on the line every day to keep our community safe,” Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said in the news release. “We are grateful the officer was unharmed and commend the judge and jury for ensuring the defendant was held accountable.”
This story was originally published February 16, 2023 at 1:03 PM.
