WCBC

August 28th, 2020 by WCBC Radio

WBAL reports a person was fatally shot by a Maryland State Police trooper after dragging the trooper during an attempt to flee a traffic stop early Friday.  The incident happened around 2 a.m. on northbound I-95 at Maryland Route 100 in Elkridge.

Police said the trooper saw a red Ford Escape weave across multiple lanes of traffic. He pulled the vehicle over onto the right shoulder. He tried to talk with the driver bot noted obvious signs of impairment. The driver refused to get out. The driver shifted into drive and the trooper reached into the vehicle in an attempt to grab the keys. The driver accelerated, dragging the trooper more than 2,000 feet.

Police said the trooper kept yelling at the driver to stop. The trooper then fired his service weapon at the driver. He was thrown from the car into the center median and was found by another trooper near where the vehicle came to a stop, police said.

Police said the deceased driver is a Hispanic male who has not yet been identified and had no identification on him. He was pronounced deceased by emergency medical service personnel on the scene.

Police said they found multiple alcohol containers in the car and a machete under the driver's seat.

The trooper is a three-year veteran and is being treated at Shock Trauma for injuries sustained in the incident.

The state police Internal Affairs Division will investigate the shooting. The investigation will then be submitted to the Howard County state's attorney's office. State's Attorney Richard H. Gibson Jr. and staff members visited the scene Friday morning, police said.

Both troopers at the scene have been placed on routine administrative leave.

A press conference is anticipated for later in the morning.