Man gets 23 years for shooting at Lakewood police during pursuit

A man accused of shooting at Lakewood police as he fled in a minivan will spend the next couple of decades behind bars.

Gabriel Salvador Ramirez, 24, pleaded guilty Friday to first-degree assault, drive-by shooting, trying to elude police and unlawful gun possession.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Stanley Rumbaugh sentenced Ramirez to 23 years, three months in prison.

The incident happened Jan. 17 when an officer tried to pull over the van Ramirez was driving near South Tacoma Way and state Route 512.

Ramirez headed to Interstate 5 and fired shots when the officer pursued him, according to police.

The officer fired back when the SUV exited I-5 and Ramirez made a U-turn toward the officer.

At one point Ramirez ended up driving through a construction zone and an apartment playground, then hit a building and ran away, police said, before he was arrested.

Ramirez had a warrant out for his arrest at the time, related to a felony drug charge.

This story was originally published September 19, 2016 at 3:37 PM with the headline "Man gets 23 years for shooting at Lakewood police during pursuit."