--- description: A Florida man who shot at George Zimmerman's vehicle during a road-rage incident last year was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison. title: Man Who Shot at George Zimmerman Sentenced to 20 Years image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt769431728d0db8c8/6988aa34cf40a8e179c452c2/zimmerman.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Man Who Shot at George Zimmerman in Road Rage Incident Sentenced to 20 Years ## Video: 10 Days That Define the Obama Presidency: Zimmerman Verdict [Watch (HLS stream): 10 Days That Define the Obama Presidency: Zimmerman Verdict](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/O5QiWvGn.m3u8) (2:11)  _Published 2017-01-13. As President Obama's two terms in office come to a close, TIME is taking a look back at the most pivotal moments of his presidency._  by [Melissa Chan](/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 17, 2016 4:32 PM CUT  George Zimmerman (l) and Matthew Apperson (r) during a trial at Seminole County courtroom in Sanford, Fla., on Sept. 16, 2016\. Apperson is accused of trying to kill George Zimmerman by shooting into his truck during a road rage dispute on Lake Mary Boulevard last year. George Zimmerman (l) and Matthew Apperson (r) during a trial at Seminole County courtroom in Sanford, Fla., on Sept. 16, 2016\. Apperson is accused of trying to kill George Zimmerman by shooting into his truck during a road rage dispute on Lake Mary Boulevard last year.Red Huber—Orlando Sentinel/AP  by [Melissa Chan](/author/melissa-chan/)  ## Melissa Chan Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Oct 17, 2016 4:32 PM CUT A Florida man who shot at George Zimmerman’s vehicle during a [road-rage incident last year](http://time.com/3854215/george-zimmerman-florida-shooting/ "undefined") was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison, officials said. Matthew Apperson was also handed down two 15-year prison terms for aggravated assault and shooting into an occupied vehicle, Seminole County State Attorney spokeswoman Lynne Bumpus-Hooper said in a statement. All of the sentences will be served at the same time. Apperson was convicted of attempted second-degree murder in September after he fired at Zimmerman in May 2015\. Zimmerman suffered minor injuries from glass shards after the bullet shattered his passenger-side window. Zimmerman fatally shot unarmed black teenager [Trayvon Martin](http://time.com/4327294/george-zimmerman-gun-auction-trayvon-martin-race-florida/ "undefined") in 2012\. He was acquitted in the death in 2013. Zimmerman told a judge that Apperson “joyfully bragged” about killing him after the road-rage encounter, according to the [Orlando _Sentinel_](http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/breaking-news/os-matthew-apperson-sentence-20161014-story.html "undefined"). Apperson’s family said they were shocked at the sentence and maintained that Apperson was innocent. “I’m having trouble comprehending all of it. I stand here numb, completely numb,” his wife, Lisa Apperson, told the _Sentinel_. “I feel like my feet are just going to give up from under me.” Moments before the sentencing, Lisa Apperson said in court that authorities have “given George Zimmerman a golden ticket to go out and do whatever he wants to do.” ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4533501/george-zimmerman-road-rage-sentenced/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4533501/george-zimmerman-road-rage-sentenced/"},"headline":"Man Who Shot at George Zimmerman in Road Rage Incident Sentenced to 20 Years","datePublished":"2016-10-17T16:32:06.000Z","dateModified":"2026-03-31T10:17:21.669Z","description":"The man's wife said authorities have \"given George Zimmerman a golden ticket\" to do anything he wants","url":"https://time.com/4533501/george-zimmerman-road-rage-sentenced/","keywords":["Crime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt769431728d0db8c8/6988aa34cf40a8e179c452c2/zimmerman.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Chan","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-chan/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt769431728d0db8c8/6988aa34cf40a8e179c452c2/zimmerman.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"zimmerman","caption":"George Zimmerman (l) and Matthew Apperson (r) during a trial at Seminole County courtroom in Sanford, Fla., on Sept. 16, 2016. 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