An Alabama man was sentenced to life in prison for his role in a 2021 car chase and shocking gunbattle that injured and permanently changed the lives of three Georgia officers, all of whom were in attendance Thursday inside a Carroll County courtroom.
Aaron JuJuan Shelton, 25, was convicted last week after a jury found he was the driver and participated in the crime spree with his cousin Pier Shelton, who fired an AK-47-style rifle at law enforcement several times and was killed during the frenzy.
Aaron Shelton did not shoot, but a jury rejected his claims that his cousin coerced him. Superior Court Judge Erica Tisinger sentenced him to life in prison without the possibility of parole plus more than 150 years.
The injured law enforcement members and their families gave impact statements prior to the sentencing, including Carrollton police Sgt. Rob Holloway, who was shot in the head April 12, 2021, but miraculously survived to walk again after months of medical care and rehabilitation.
Holloway will never work or drive again, his wife Stephanie said in court, her arm wrapped around him. Somehow, despite the end of his law enforcement career, he still sees the positives and cherishes every moment now.
“I’m richer than any other man in life; I love the city of Carrollton,” Holloway said while holding back tears. “I was born and raised here and I wanted to help.”
Holloway suffered meningitis twice during his recovery and was forced to miss several important milestones in his son’s life, including graduation. But looking back, he said there’s nothing he would change as he now gets to tell his story and help others.
The Holloways also mentioned how a fresh start often begins through forgiveness. He then looked directly into the eyes of a person who nearly killed him.
“Mr. Aaron Shelton, I forgive you. I pray for your salvation. I forgive you,” he told him. “You didn’t take anything from me that God didn’t restore.”
The cousins’ crimes started that day around 3:30 a.m. when Georgia State Patrol Trooper Zack Pruitt clocked a 2015 Nissan Sentra that Shelton was driving going 111 mph on I-20. Shelton sped away from the traffic stop as his cousin fired the rifle out of the passenger-side window. The bullets struck Pruitt’s vehicle and disabled it, prosecutors said. The trooper was uninjured and other agencies were notified.
Holloway and Carrollton police Cpl. Richard Cheatwood started leading the chase as the Nissan again reached high speeds on Ga. 61. Pier Shelton fired at the officers and Carroll deputies, who had also joined the pursuit.
Holloway was struck when a bullet went through the windshield of his patrol vehicle before he crashed into a utility pole. After the officer was hit, the Nissan approached Villa Rica and both suspects ran away. Authorities, including Villa Rica police Officer Chase Gordy, then established a perimeter.
About 25 minutes later, Pier Shelton approached and shot Gordy in the arm and leg. The officer underwent surgery at Grady Memorial Hospital and was released the next morning. He still patrols the same area but said his brain finds a way to remind him of that night.
“There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think about it,” he said Thursday alongside his wife Peyton. She noted that last week’s conviction was the first time she felt peace since the incident.
“I didn’t think I would ever get a chance to stand here today alongside my husband ... (to) see him again,” she said. “The feeling I felt is unspeakable.”
After Gordy was injured, Carroll sheriff’s Cpl. Jamison Troutt and his partner, Deputy Jay Repetto, drove to the officer’s location. Terrifying video released by the sheriff’s office showed Pier Shelton stepping out of the darkness, walking toward the deputies’ car with the rifle and opening fire.
“Your cousin had the look in his eyes that I’ll never forget,” said Repetto, who was struck in the arm before they returned fire and killed the suspect. “He died falling at my feet still looking at me after I shot him. Your actions allowed this to happen.”
His wife Laurie had hoped for life in prison prior to the sentencing. She said the cousins took away her husband’s career, and he now struggles to find purpose.
“Your actions (also) got your cousin killed and destroyed your ability to live as a free man,” she added. “You belong in prison until the day you die.”
Stephanie Holloway said while some law enforcement members and responders lost their passion to serve after the shooting, it also brought others closer together. Many sat inside the courtroom and likely wouldn’t have met if it wasn’t for that terrible night.
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