GREELEY, Colo. — A Weld County judge sentenced an Aurora man to more than a century in prison for shooting at an officer during a high-speed chase in July 2020.
In July 2021, a jury convicted James Nicholson, 52, of attempted second-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of second-degree assault, two counts of third-degree assault, vehicular eluding and possession of a controlled substance.
According to a press release from the 19th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Nicholson was arrested on July 11, 2020 after officers were called to an apartment on 10th Street in Greeley for a report of a man with a gun trying to get into someone’s apartment.
When they arrived, they saw Nicholson walking away from the apartment complex and tried to make contact with him. Nicholson took off running, and as officers got closer to him, he turned around and sprayed two officers with bear mace.
Nicholson then got into a vehicle and drove off, leading officers on a high-speed chase throughout Greeley. During the chase, one officer said Nicholson’s rear window shattered and he heard multiple gunshots. The officer also saw between eight and 10 muzzle flashes coming from inside Nicholson’s vehicle.
The Larimer County Sheriff’s Office was able to immobilize Nicholson’s vehicle north of Clydesdale Parkway and Crossroads Boulevard in Loveland and take him into custody.
On Friday, a judge sentenced Nicholson to 112 years in the Colorado Department of Corrections.