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Car theft suspect shot by deputy pleads guilty to 2nd-degree assault

Diego Gallegos faced a litany of charges after he injured an Arapahoe County deputy by crashing into his vehicle in January 2020.

ARAPAHOE COUNTY, Colo. — A man who was accused of ramming law-enforcement vehicles with a stolen truck before a deputy shot him multiple times has pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in the January 2020 incident.

Diego Gallegos on Monday pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree assault, which is a Class 4 felony. All other charges were dismissed, and he will be sentenced on April 19, according to the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office.

Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office (ACSO) deputies found what appeared to be a truck stalled in traffic about 3:20 a.m. Jan. 22, 2020, in the area of South Parker Road and East Fremont Avenue, according to ACSO. The truck had been reported stolen out of Denver, ACSO said.

RELATED: Car theft suspect shot in Arapahoe County, 3 others arrested

> Video above: Car theft suspect shot in Arapahoe County, published Jan. 23, 2020.

Deputies learned that another stolen vehicle, a Chevrolet Silverado, would be arriving. When that vehicle arrived, deputies blocked it in and attempted to detain the people in it. The driver, identified as Gallegos, rammed the Silverado into a deputy's vehicle, causing him "serious bodily injury," according to a DA's Office decision letter on the officer-involved shooting.

Another deputy fired eight shots at Gallegos, hitting him three times, according to the decision letter.

RELATED: Deputy cleared for shooting car theft suspect accused of running into another deputy

“Mr. Gallegos stated he did not know that he hit a peace officer and felt bad about it,” the decision letter reads. “Mr. Gallegos expressed remorse for the trouble he caused. During the interview, Mr. Gallegos pointed to where he was shot in the arm and said that he may have earned that.”

The injured deputy was treated at a hospital and released. Gallegos was also taken to a hospital.

Gallegos had been facing the following charges:

  • First-degree assault on a peace officer
  • Second-degree assault on a peace officer
  • Second-degree assault on a peace officer (causing injury with a deadly weapon)
  • Attempted second-degree assault on a peace officer
  • Attempted second-degree assault on a peace officer (causing injuring with a deadly weapon)
  • Vehicular eluding
  • First-degree aggravated motor vehicle theft.

The DA's Office cleared the deputy who shot Gallegos. 

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