Man receives consecutive life sentences in police shooting

A man convicted of multiple counts of attempted first-degree murder of a law enforcement officer for shooting at Sanibel police officers and a sheriff’s deputy in 2016 was sentenced to life in prison.
On Jan. 13, Lee County Circuit Judge Bruce Kyle sentenced Jon Webster Hay, 57, to three consecutive life sentences for three counts of attempted first-degree murder on a law enforcement officer with a firearm. In addition, Hay was sentenced to the maximum of 15 years in prison for shooting at or into an occupied vehicle and the maximum of five years for fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer.
State Attorney’s Office Deputy Chief Assistant State Attorney Tyler Lovejoy and Assistant State Attorney Alyssa Wolf prosecuted the case.
Defense attorney Mark Youngblood represented Hay.
“Three consecutive life sentences for shooting a police officer should serve as a very direct warning that violence against law enforcement officers absolutely will not be tolerated,” State Attorney Amira Fox said in a prepared statement on Jan. 13.
On Dec. 12, a Lee County jury found Hay guilty of the three life felonies, second-degree felony and third-degree felony following a four-day trial. According to court records, the jurors also found him not guilty of a fourth count of attempted first-degree murder on a law enforcement officer with a firearm.
“I support and appreciate the judge’s decision regarding Mr. Hays,” Sanibel Police Department Police Chief William “Bill” Dalton said on Jan. 16. “I am thankful he will never have the opportunity to hurt anyone ever again.”
“I also appreciate the State Attorney’s Office in their patience and dedication pursuing justice for the officers and deputy involved,” he added.
At about 8 p.m. on Nov. 20, 2016, Sanibel police Officer Jared Ciccone was sitting in his patrol vehicle in the area of 2330 Periwinkle Way filling out a traffic report. A gray van passed by and shot at him, striking him once in the shoulder. Ciccone radioed that shots had been fired and provided a description of the vehicle, where the shots had come from, the direction the van was traveling and that the driver was a man, according to records.
Officer Christopher Dowaliby heard the call while at 979 E. Gulf Drive. He turned west onto Periwinkle and located a gray-green van traveling eastbound in the 1200 block. Dowaliby pursed the vehicle with his police sirens and lights flashing until it came to a stop on Sand Castle Road.
Dowaliby saw a man, later identified as Hay, exit the van. Hay fired several shots at Dowaliby with what appeared to be a rifle. Officer Chad Maik reported that Hay opened fire with an AR-15 style rifle.
Both of the officers’ vehicles were struck by gunfire, with 28 spent cartridge cases found where Hay was shooting from. Seventeen spent cartridge cases were recovered near where the officers were, according to the State Attorney’s Office review of the incident. Dowaliby and Maik, along with Lee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Julie Weber, fired at Hay. Hay took a gunshot wound to the shoulder.
Hay continued shooting before getting back in the van and driving away.
At about 8:40 p.m., 911 received a call from a man who stated that his son just returned home from an altercation with police and it appeared that he had been shot. Hay was detained by officers in his driveway at 1476 Sand Castle Road. A .45-caliber pistol was found inside a fanny pack that he had on.
At the home, a .223-caliber rifle was found inside a duffle bag inside the truck of a car in the garage, as well as a .10 mm cartridge case. A loaded Glock .10 mm pistol was recovered from the nearby woods.
Ciccone was transported to the hospital for treatment and later released.
Hay was also taken to the hospital and later booked into the county jail.
“This Sanibel police officer was simply working in his car when he was shot by the defendant, who preyed on this officer and then used an assault rifle to shoot at law enforcement as they attempted to take him into custody,” Fox said in the statement. “Behind bars is where this defendant belongs and where he shall remain.”