CLAY COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — A man who was set to face a judge and jury in the coming days for shooting a deputy with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office has pleaded guilty to the charge pending against him.

According to Casey Hall, 97th Judicial District Attorney, Joshua Lee Green pled guilty on Monday, November 20, 2023, to one count of aggravated assault of a police officer. Green was sentenced to 35 years in prison.

Hall said in a press release on Monday afternoon that Green will not be eligible for parole until he serves half of his sentence, and as a part of the plea bargain, Green waived his right to appeal the sentence.

“It was important to the prosecution team and to the victim that Green took responsibility for what he did to Deputy Chitwood,” Hall said. “He did just that.”

The charges stem from an incident in August 2021 in which Clay County Deputy Breanton Chitwood was shot by Green while walking towards the vehicle Green was in during a traffic stop on U.S. 287 near the Jolly Truck Stop.

Deputy Chitwood, who was wearing a bullet-proof vest at the time, was able to recover and return fire as Green sped away. Officials with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office said Deputy Chitwood’s bullet-proof vest ended up saving his life.

Following the incident, a state-wide Blue Alert was issued for Green. The following day, the vehicle in which Green was initially pulled over was located by the Wichita Falls Police Department.

A search warrant was issued, and less than 48 hours later, a multi-agency team located Green at a hotel in Arlington. After a brief foot pursuit, he was apprehended and taken into custody, charged with one count of aggravated assault on a peace officer.