Bee Staff
A Sacramento Superior Court judge today sentenced a gang member to 17 years in prison after he pleaded no contest to the attempted murder of a police officer, according to a news release from District Attorney Jan Scully.
Jose Angel Gallardo's sentence included a robbery charge that he was convicted on earlier, Scully said.
Scully gave this account of events:
On May 22, 2006, Gallardo was a passenger in a car with three others. The driver, Eugene Gallegos, stopped his car at a bus stop near Truxel and San Juan roads Gallardo and another passenger, Saul Rabago, robbed the a 16-year-old boy using a fake gun.
Gallegos drove to the Natomas Marketplace where Sacramento Police Officer Kevin Howland approached the car on foot. At the urging of Gallardo, Gallegos attempted to run over Howland.
Howland ended up on the hood of the car as it sped through the busy parking lot. Howland fired several shots through the windshield ultimately stopping the car and killing Gallegos.
Gallardo, Rabago and Gallegos were all validated members of the Varrio Gardenland gang.
Rabago was previously sentenced to 12 years and 8 months in state prison for his role in the robbery and attempted murder.
"Thanks to the heroic efforts of Officer Kevin Howland, the lives of many bystanders were kept safe that day," said Deputy District Attorney Curtis Fiorini.
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