LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A man accused of shooting and killing a 20-year-old in Lexington in December 2020 has been sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Caelan Gills was indicted on charges of murder, wanton endangerment, fleeing police (both in a vehicle and on foot), fleeing the scene of an accident, receiving stolen property, fourth-degree assault, and multiple traffic charges, according to court records. He's also charged with being a persistent felony offender.
Gills is accused of shooting and killing 20-year-old Ja'quis Ray on December 28, 2020, according to police.
On the day of the shooting, officers were called to the parking lot of Woodhill Food Mart, where they found Ray in the driver's seat of a car, according to a criminal complaint in the case. Ray had been shot in the head and was transported to a hospital where he died of his injuries, according to the complaint.
In March, Gills was arrested after a high-speed chase in Lexington. During the chase, Gills was seen by a police air support unit going about 70 mph in a 25 mph zone, according to his arrest citation. He was seen blowing through multiple stop signs before ultimately hitting another vehicle on Leestown Road, according to the citation.
Three counts of disregarding a stop sign and one count of reckless driving initially filed against Gills in connection with the March 19th chase were dismissed by the grand jury, according to court records.
