FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
| Date: | August 11, 2023 |
| Contact: | Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700 |
| RE: | State v. Jake Cottrell – Sentencing |
BOISE – Jake Cottrell, 40, will serve at least two decades in prison after exchanging gunfire with multiple law enforcement agencies, stealing vehicles, and endangering the Ada County community.
The Honorable Ada County District Judge Nancy Baskin sentenced Mr. Cottrell to serve 40 years imprisonment, with 20 years fixed before being eligible for parole.
On June 9, 2022, Idaho Department of Correction Probation and Parole Officers attempted to contact Mr. Cottrell at his residence on Shields Avenue in Boise, when he brandished a firearm and gunfire was exchanged. Mr. Cottrell fled the scene by stealing a neighbor’s vehicle. He then stole a pickup truck at gunpoint in Eagle, before leading law enforcement on a high-speed pursuit. A Boise Police officer successfully performed a pursuit intervention technique (PIT) maneuver to bring Mr. Cottrell’s vehicle to a stop near the intersection of W. Broadway Ave. and NW 1st Street in Meridian.
The incident ended in an officer-involved shooting. Fourteen shell casings from firearms in the defendants’ possession were found at the scene. No officers were injured during the shooting.
Mr. Cottrell pled guilty in June 2022 to two counts of aggravated assault upon law enforcement, and one count of robbery. The remaining charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.
“This incident reached many corners of Ada County, and as a result, law enforcement from nearly every local jurisdiction stepped in to apprehend this suspect,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “Thank you to the IDOC Probation and Parole Office, Boise Police Department, Meridian Police Department, Garden City Police Department, and the Ada County Sheriff’s Office for their hard work and professionalism during a high-risk case. This case highlights the value of our partnerships as we work together to keep the public safe and ensure justice is served.”