Road rage led to gunfire. Now, a Modesto man is going to prison for attempted murder.

A 27-year-old Modesto man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for shooting at two people, injuring one of them, during a road rage incident that escalated to gunfire.

Victor Alonzo Ramirez last week pleaded no contest to one count of attempted murder, along with enhancements for using a gun while committing a felony and inflicting great bodily injury, according to the Stanislaus County District Attorney's Office.

The road rage incident stemmed from a crash that occurred about 10 p.m. June 21, 2011 on Claus Road, near Scenic Drive in east Modesto. Ramirez was driving a pickup that was rear-ended by another vehicle driven by a man with a female passenger.

An argument ensued between Ramirez and the other driver. Prosecutors said Ramirez then brandished a handgun and fired the weapon at the other driver and his passenger.

The pair sped away in their vehicle and headed south to Laurenburg Avenue, about a mile away from the crash site. Prosecutors said Ramirez followed them to Laurenburg and fired the .22 caliber handgun five times as the other the driver ran away.

One of the bullets struck the other man in the back, seriously injuring him. The following day, the Modesto Police Department identified Ramirez as the suspected shooter.

Ramirez was arrested and taken into custody without incident at his home in the 2800 block of Andalusia Way, about a mile west of the shooting scene. Ramirez has been held at the county jail since his 2011 arrest.

An additional count of attempted murder was dismissed in Ramirez's case. Charges of shooting at an occupied vehicle and being a felon in possession of a gun also were dropped.

Shortly after entering his no contest plea on Tuesday, Ramirez was sentenced by Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Scott Steffen. Deputy District Attorney Anthony Colacito prosecuted the case.

This story was originally published December 3, 2017 at 2:45 PM with the headline "Road rage led to gunfire. Now, a Modesto man is going to prison for attempted murder.."