Pomona man Isaias de Jesus Valencia sentenced to life in prison for murder of police officer during barricade in 2018

POMONA, Calif. (KABC) — A Pomona man was sentenced to life in prison without parole for killing a police officer and injuring another during a standoff at his apartment in 2018.

Isaias de Jesus Valencia refused to appear in court Monday as victims read emotional impact statements and the final sentence was handed down. In addition to life in prison, he was sentenced to an additional 280 years on additional charges related to the March 2018 incident.

The incident began when Pomona police began pursuing a reckless driver, who crashed into a parked vehicle and fled on foot.

Valencia, 39 at the time, rushed into his apartment building and barricaded himself in a bedroom.

As officers attempted to contact him, he began shooting through the door with what neighbors described as multiple gunshots.

One officer, Alex Nguyen, was injured.

When Officer Greggory Casillas, 30, of Upland, tried to help his injured partner, he was shot in the face and later died at the hospital. It took about 15 hours for Valencia to be arrested.

From 2018: Pomona officers escort murdered colleague's son to school

Nguyen was among those who gave statements in court Monday.

“My scars are deeper than my face,” Nguyen said. “Not a day goes by that I don’t see, feel or think about my partner.”

“Since the night of the shooting, I have been living with anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress.”

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