A man who police said stole a Grand Chute police car and injured an officer before leading law enforcement on a chase has been sentenced to 12.5 years in prison.
The officer injured was forced to retire because of his injuries.
Michael Lawrenz originally faced 22 charges, including robbery with use of force, resisting an officer, and two counts of operating a motor vehicle without owner's consent.
Lawrenz pleaded "no contest" in January to seven of those counts, and all others were dropped as part of a plea deal.
In court Monday, prosecutors said Lawrenz started using heroin and other heavy drugs in 2016. He admitted to using meth the night before the incident, police said.
"The defendant is someone who....for 20 years has been involved in the criminal court system," said Outagamie County DA Carrie Schneider.
Lawrenz apologized to the officers in court Monday, during a sentencing that lasted for hours.
"I can't begin to express my remorse for that day, nothing will excuse my actions," Lawrenz said in court.
According to police, Lawrenz jumped into a Grand Chute squad car after police were questioning him at Pawn America on July 23, 2016.
Officers attempted to pull Lawrenz from the driver's seat, but weren't able to, police said. Lawrenz put the car in reverse and stepped on the gas, hitting and injuring Grand Chute Police Lieutenant Todd Zolkowski, according to court documents.
Lt. Zolkowski told NBC26 he was forced to retire because of those injuries.
Officers shot at Lawrenz as he drove away, hitting him. Grand Chute officers were later found justified in their shooting.
After fleeing in the squad car, Lawrenz carjacked a vehicle from a woman, driving that car onto 1-41 northbound, according to court documents. He then led Brown County Sheriff's Deputies on a chase before they stopped him and took him into custody, those documents said.
The judge sentenced Lawrenz to 12.5 years in prison followed by 8 years of supervision.
