A judge on Thursday sentenced a 21-year-old Weld County man to 96 years in prison for shooting at two Fort Lupton police officers during an ambush in 2019.

Matthew Cotter of Lochbuie shot one of the officers in the face, but the officer survived.

Earlier this year, a Weld County jury convicted Cotter of attempted murder and assault, according to the Weld County District Attorney’s Office.

Christopher Pelton and Jeremy Sagner, both sergeants, were dispatched to the 200 block of Ponderosa Place after Cotter went to his ex-girlfriend’s home and threatened to kill himself.

Cotter fired at the officers, hitting Pelton in the face, prosecutors said.

“I’m very fortunate that this was an attempted-murder case and not a murder case,” Pelton said during the sentencing hearing. “The moment that bullet went through my head, I wasn’t even there going after the defendant. I was there to protect the scene. If someone was going to get shot that day, I’m glad it was me and not one of my young officers.”