Career Criminal Sentenced for Attempted Murder, Assault w/Firearm Against Officers

DATE: February 7, 2022

CASE: Jimmy Young Vang (Case #17FE010723)

PROSECUTOR: Deputy District Attorney Frederick Gotha, Career Criminal Prosecution Unit

The Honorable Stephen Acquisto sentenced Jimmy Young Vang to a total of 62 years and 10 months to life in prison without parole.  On December 16, 2021, a jury convicted Vang of attempted premeditated murder of a peace officer, assault with a semi-automatic firearm against multiple peace officers, felony evading, assault with a deadly weapon (motor vehicle) against peace officers and attempted carjacking. After Vang committed the crimes in this case, he was convicted of murder and kidnapping charges in Placer County in 2019.  The sentence includes a life without parole sentence for the Placer County case.

On June 8, 2017, Jimmy Vang was a passenger in a Lincoln that was pulled over by a sheriff’s deputy in south Sacramento. Two additional deputies responded to assist with the traffic stop. Vang got out of the Lincoln and immediately began firing a semi-automatic firearm at the three deputies. Vang got back into the Lincoln and the vehicle sped away when one of the deputies returned fire. The driver of the Lincoln pulled over and Vang fled on foot.  The Lincoln led police on a high-speed pursuit that ended in a crash in Yolo County. When Vang was later spotted on Florin Road, he led officers on a high-speed chase that reached 130 mph, causing numerous near collisions.  During the pursuit, Vang tried to ram pursuing officers by driving into oncoming traffic. Vang lost control of his car, crashed and tried to flee on foot.  During the foot pursuit, Vang attempted to carjack a civilian before he was taken into custody. The firearm Vang used was never recovered.

Vang has a criminal history spanning more than 20 years and 16 convictions, including felony burglary, ID theft, credit/debit card theft and vehicle theft.

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