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Man who pleaded guilty to shooting state trooper sentenced

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A teenager who led police on a chaotic car chase in Philadelphia before shooting a state police trooper has been sentenced to 35 to 70 years in prison.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the judge told the trooper that it was “a miracle” he was still alive before she sentenced now-19-year-old Giovanny Cotto on Tuesday.

Cotto was 17 when he was stopped in November 2015 for expired registration but sped off, leading troopers on a chase on two busy Philadelphia highways. Prosecutors say he crashed his car into a school bus and then drew a .45-caliber pistol and fired, hitting the trooper in the shoulder.

Cotto pleaded guilty in June to three counts of attempted murder and other charges. He apologized briefly on Tuesday, saying “I deeply regret this.”

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Information from: The Philadelphia Inquirer, http://www.inquirer.com