Michigan highway shooter gets more than 6½ years

[flowers]

http://www.myfoxla.com/story/24629610/michigan-highway-shooter-gets-more-than-6-years

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) - A man who opened fire on other motorists in a series of October 2012 attacks that terrified southeastern Michigan was sentenced Tuesday to more than six years in prison in the first of two related cases.

Judge Denise Langford Morris sentenced Raulie Casteel to serve from six years and eight months to 10 years in prison on multiple assault charges, as well as two years for weapons charges. The sentences will run concurrently.

Casteel, a 44-year-old geologist from Wixom, faced up to 12 years in prison after pleading no contest but mentally ill last year to those charges. He faces up to life in prison in a related Livingston County case in which he was convicted last week of terrorism. That sentencing hearing is scheduled for next month.

Langford Morris, who is an Oakland County Circuit Court judge, admonished Casteel during the hearing in Pontiac, telling him, "Thank goodness you were a lousy shot."

"The kinds of actions you engaged in ... these are the kinds of actions that absolutely terrorized a community," Langford Morris said.

Casteel declined to speak on his own behalf. A few relatives, including his wife and sister, also declined to comment after the hearing.