LAS VEGAS » A 22-year-old woman took a plea deal Monday that could get her eight to 20 years in Nevada state prison for shooting a motorist in the neck during a Christmas week traffic dispute on the Las Vegas Strip.

Brittanie Merritt-Burwell of Glendale, Ariz., pleaded guilty to attempted murder in the late Dec. 23 shooting that badly wounded a 29-year-old motorist.

Witnesses told police that Merritt-Burwell got out of a Chevrolet Impala, shot the man through an open driver’s side window, then returned to her car and gave the gun to her boyfriend.

As part of the plea deal, prosecutors dropped battery with a weapon and shooting into a vehicle charges, and agreed that Merritt-Burwell won’t face prosecution stemming from allegations that she was involved in several robberies in the days prior to the shooting.

Her boyfriend, Joshua Youngblood, 28, faces trial May 12 on a concealed weapon charge that could bring one to five years in prison.

Prosecutor Megan Thompson said outside court that the wounded motorist has been released from a hospital and is recovering from his injuries.

Merritt-Burwell had told police she was defending herself in a traffic dispute.

Authorities said the argument may have developed after Merritt-Burwell and Youngblood were asked to leave a club at the nearby Hooter’s casino-hotel.

Five days before the shooting, Las Vegas police had questioned Merritt-Burwell about a report of an attempted vehicle theft in the same area.

Merritt-Burwell and Youngblood were arrested Dec. 30 at a fast-food restaurant several blocks west of the Strip.

Clark County District Court Judge David Barker set Merritt-Burwell’s sentencing for April 28.