Man sentenced in shooting of Oklahoma police officer

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – A man who pleaded guilty to shooting and seriously wounding an Oklahoma police officer has been sentenced to 30 years in prison.

The Oklahoman reports  that 27-year-old Cory Lee Hartsell of Midwest City pleaded guilty to assault and battery with a deadly weapon for shooting Valley Brook Officer Brian Southerland in south Oklahoma City.

Authorities say the shooting occurred on New Year’s Day during a traffic stop. A bullet struck Southerland’s femoral artery, causing extreme bleeding. An Oklahoma County sheriff’s deputy was able to apply a tourniquet to the wound, saving the officer’s life.

Hartsell entered guilty pleas on Wednesday to six other felonies, including two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon. Court records indicate that Hartsell has previously spent time in prison for larceny and drug offenses.