A Weymouth Township man who admitted firing a gun at his girlfriend and the police who responded to the 2020 domestic incident was sentenced to five years in prison.
James Weinerman, 31, faced eight years in prison under the plea agreement entered in November.
But Judge Nancy Ridgway instead sentenced him in the lower third-degree range. The state is expected to appeal.
State Police were called to South Jersey Avenue on Sept. 12, 2020, for a domestic dispute.
What started as a verbal argument escalated to the point where Weinerman would let the woman and her children leave the residence.
He said that nobody was going to be able to leave when he shot the engine block of her car. He then fired a single found from a long gun. The front of the victim's car was struck with her within 10 feet of it, according to the report.
Weinerman barricaded himself inside the residence and refused to come out.
Crisis negotiators established contact with Weinerman. State Police got into position with two armored police vehicles, called Bearcats, for a possible breach.
After about five minutes, Weinerman fired several rounds out of an open rear doorway in the direction of one of the Bearcats. There were about 10 state troopers either in the vehicle or behind it.
Those rounds also struck other unoccupied vehicles in proximity of the state troopers, forcing police to retreat into the Bearcat for safety.
Weinerman exited the residence after several hours of negotiations, but then forcefully resisted arrest.
A K-9 was deployed. Weinerman was bit as police tried to handcuff him.
Weinerman must serve at least 85 percent of his sentence, or four years and three months. He has served more than two years and seven months in jail, leaving less than a year and eight months to his current sentence.
