Judge sentences Lakewood man for armed robbery, carjacking near Lacey elementary school
A Thurston County judge has sentenced a Lakewood man to 19 years in prison after he admitted to robbing a convenience store near Lacey in April and firing shots near an elementary school.
Gata Leilua, 26, pleaded guilty to eight felony offenses and one misdemeanor on Sept. 21. Superior Court Judge Carol Murphy sentenced Leilua the same day. His plea came a week before his jury trial was scheduled to start.
Tacoma police arrested Leilua on April 22 after a foot chase, according to The News Tribune. Earlier that day, Leilua robbed Buddie’s Grocery on Martin Way East, led law enforcement on an erratic car chase and fired three shots in the parking lot of Olympic View Elementary School, 1330 Horne St NE, southeast of the Lacey Walmart.
In all, Leilua has been convicted of first-degree attempted robbery, second-degree robbery, second-degree assault, unlawful discharge of a firearm, first-degree burglary, second-degree assault, two counts of theft of a motor vehicle and attempting to elude a pursuing police vehicle while endangering others.
Leilua had no criminal convictions prior to the April incident, according to court records.
Court records detail the investigation into the robbery, chase and assaults from the perspective of law enforcement.
Thurston County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to an armed robbery at Buddies Grocery at about 1 p.m. April 22. When they arrived, they learned the suspect, later identified as Leilua, fled the scene in a green Subaru Outback.
A store employee told deputies Leilua entered the store with a handgun and demanded all the money in the register. The employee reportedly complied, and Leilua fled the scene in the Subaru.
About an hour after the robbery, deputies located the Subaru at a gas station at Martin Way and Ranger Drive Southeast. When they approached the vehicle, Leilua sped away.
A high-speed pursuit ensured. Leilua reportedly weaved around other cars and even drove in the oncoming lane. The chase ended when he drove through a basketball hoop and fence by a home near Olympic View Elementary School.
Leilua abandoned his vehicle and fled towards the school’s parking lot. There, he reportedly attempted to take two occupied vehicles at gunpoint. At one point, he fired three shots at a fleeing vehicle, according to court records.
Leilua then fled to a nearby home where he held the owner at gunpoint and demanded the keys to his vehicle. The owner complied and Leilua fled again, starting another high-speed pursuit.
During this pursuit, a deputy observed Leilua drive up to 90 miles per hour and swerve around traffic. He hit multiple vehicles before taking the on-ramp to Interstate 5 at exit 114, according to court records.
Once on the highway, Leilua reportedly exceeded 120 miles per hour and hit more vehicles. At one point, he suddenly slammed his brakes and swerved across all lanes of traffic to take exit 120A. With this maneuver, the pursuing deputy lost sight of him.
Back at the school, a deputy contacted the people Leilua attempted to steal vehicles from. According to court records, one woman said he pointed a gun at her while she was in her vehicle, but she refused to get out because her young son was in the backseat.
Another woman reportedly told the deputy Leilua ran toward her and pointed his firearm at her while she waited in the parking lot. In response, she attempted to speed away in her vehicle.
She said her vehicle was struck by gunfire and the deputy observed a small hole near the rear of her vehicle as well as a bullet fragment in the driver’s side tire, according to court records.
When Tacoma police later arrested Leilua, they reported he was carrying a small plastic bag of unknown blue pills. He allegedly stated he took narcotics before being taken into custody.
Police also located a black and silver handgun that had been discarded by Leilua during his foot pursuit. The records say the weapon had been reported stolen in Pierce County.
This story was originally published September 28, 2022 at 11:37 AM.
