Man who shot at 6 Oconee County deputies sentenced to 180 years, sheriff says

An Oconee County man accused of shooting former Cpl. Lucas Watts was found guilty on all charges Thursday in court, according to the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office.

Gregory Wayne Maxwell was sentenced to more than 180 years in prison after a jury found he shot at six Oconee County deputies during a traffic stop on Nov. 16, 2023.

Maxwell was sentenced to six consecutive 30-year terms on the attempted murder charges.

The shootings began when Watts pulled over a vehicle on Highway 11. The driver stopped initially but then sped away. During the pursuit, Maxwell fired at deputies, authorities said.

Watts, who was 27 at the time of the incident, suffered life-threatening injuries after Maxwell shot through the windshield of his patrol car, striking Watts in the head. He has since medically retired from law enforcement, officials said.

Watts’ family said in a 2023 CaringBridge update that Watts lost his right eye. Maxwell sustained at least one gunshot wound. No other deputies were injured. Following the incident, Oconee County officials announced plans to install bulletproof glass in their patrol vehicles and in those of all the municipalities in the county. There is no public update on whether plans have been completed.

Along with six counts of attempted murder, Maxwell was also charged with possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, failure to stop for blue light and operating an unregistered vehicle.

Sentenced to more than 180 years, Maxwell will be credited for the time he has spent incarcerated since 2023.

Crenshaw thanked surrounding law enforcement, the 10th Circuit Solicitor’s Office and the jury following the verdict. He also thanked those who helped save Watt’s life.

Oconee County Sheriff Mike Crenshaw said in a statement that the department is “very pleased with the verdict handed down today by the jury.”