Man who fired at St. Johns County deputy sentenced to life in prison

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — Richard Bonsell will spend the rest of his life in prison for shooting at a St. Johns County deputy.

He was sentenced on Thursday.

Bonsell was driving a stolen car in April of 2020 when he was caught in the parking lot of a Ponte Vedra Beach shopping center.

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After the deputy initiated a traffic stop, Bonsell pulled out a shotgun and fired two shots at the deputy.

The deputy returned fire. Bonsell then shot himself in the chin. He was arrested after he was released from the hospital.

Bonsell was convicted on August 21 of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer and firing a gun into a vehicle.

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