Man Convicted for Shooting at Deputies During Police Pursuit in May Sentenced to Over 25 Years in Prison

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An Olympia man arrested and charged for shooting at deputies during a high-speed police pursuit in May 2021 has been found guilty on six charges and was sentenced Wednesday to  648 months — 54 years — in prison.

The jury’s special verdicts added 180 months to his initial 468-month sentence.  

Denver Bragg, 39, of Olympia, was first arrested on May 4 after he allegedly fired three shots at pursuing Lewis County Sheriff’s Office deputies who had been attempting to stop him as part of an investigation into a stolen firearm. 

The pursuit lasted an hour and a half, ending only when deputies utilized a PIT maneuver — a technique where the pursuing vehicle hits the rear bumper of the suspect vehicle to immobilize the suspect vehicle — and Bragg's vehicle collided with the corner of NAPA Auto Parts in Chehalis. 

No deputies were injured during the chase. Bragg was medically cleared before he was booked into the jail, where he has remained in custody on $750,000 bail for the duration of his court case. 

The case went to trial on Jan. 3 and a jury found Bragg guilty of three counts of first-degree assault and one count each of drive-by shooting, attempting to elude a police vehicle and possessing a stolen firearm. 



For four of the charges, the jury found him guilty of committing the crime with a deadly weapon — a gun — which added 60 months to Bragg’s initial 250 month sentence. 

He will be required to serve 36 months in community custody upon his release and will be required to register as a felony firearm offender. He is additionally forbidden for life from having contact with the three deputies who were involved in the pursuit. 

Bragg refused to sign his judgment and sentence during a hearing on Jan. 12 and has been informed of his right to appeal the jury verdict and the judge’s sentencing.  

A restitution hearing is scheduled for Jan. 19. 

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This article has been updated as Denver Bragg’s prison sentence was misstated in the original version. He was sentenced to 54 years (648 months) in prison. The jury’s special verdicts added 180 months enhancement to his initial 468 month sentence.