The man convicted of randomly shooting a motorcyclist on U.S. 72 in Athens in 2012 will served five years on supervised probation following his sentencing Monday morning.

Noah Andrew McGlawn, 24, of Whiteville, Tennessee, was convicted Feb. 13 of first-degree assault for firing two bullets into Brandon Matlock, 27, of Athens, as Matlock drove his motorcycle along 72 near Mooresville Road on Sept. 10, 2012.

Circuit Judge Robert Baker sentenced McGlawn to 20 years in prison. However, the sentence was split so McGlawn would serve four years in prison and five years on supervised probation.

Because McGlawn had already served more than four years in the Limestone County Jail prior to his trial, he was given credit for time already served. So, he will now only have to serve his five years of supervised probation. Should he violated his probation, he could face 20 years in prison. 

(According to the Split Sentence Act, any sentence between 15 and 20 years can be “split” so the convicted serves a prison sentence of three to five years, day for day, with the remainder of the sentence suspended for a period of probation.) 

District Attorney Brian Jones also sought restitution, calling for McGlawn to pay $27,493 to the victim and others. The amount includes $12,493 to Matlock for six months in lost wages and out-of-pocket medical costs, $15,000 to the Alabama Crime Victims Compensation Commission, and $101 to the DA’s office to cover expenses.

The shooting

McGlawn had been driving for hours in Tennessee and Alabama before choosing Matlock at random and shooting him in the right arm and then slowing down when Matlock did and shooting him again in the back. A short time later, McGlawn turned himself in to authorities.

He told Athens Police Investigator Chris Slaton he was angry at his father for wanting him to return to a trade school he did not like and, as a result, he “just felt like shooting someone.”

Matlock recovered from his injuries, for the most part, but testified at trial he still has discomfort and difficulty with, such tasks turning a bolt. 

Defense witnesses had testified at trial they believed McGlawn had either autism or Asperger Syndrome. His parents knew McGlawn was different from other children but they never sought a medical diagnosis.