Multiple charges for man arrested driving wrong way down I-270 with kids in car
Multiple charges for man arrested driving wrong way down I-270
A Maryland man will remain behind bars following a dramatic police chase that began on I-270 in Frederick and ended in a crash in Montgomery County last Friday.
FREDERICK, Md. - A Maryland man will remain behind bars following a dramatic police chase that began on I-270 in Frederick and ended in a crash in Montgomery County last Friday.
Cory Burkhardt was arrested for driving the wrong way on I-270 while fleeing police with multiple children in the car.
He appeared at the Frederick County Courthouse on Tuesday, where he waived his bond hearing.
What we know:
According to the police report, officers were trying to conduct a traffic stop when Burkhardt allegedly started driving southbound on Highway 270 but in the northbound lane.
The police chase continued for some time before officers bumped Burkhardt's vehicle, causing it to spin out and hit a guardrail.
Police say they tried to negotiate with Burkhardt for 30 minutes to get him out of the car, but he refused.
Officers said the windows were so heavily tinted that they could not see inside the vehicle at all. They fired "several shots" of rubber bullets into the driver's side window to make a hole.
Then they launched pepperballs into the car, according to the police report.
Two children then exited the rear passenger side door and ran to the officers. Police say Burkhardt eventually got out of the car holding a small child and began walking and eventually running away while also behaving as if he was armed.
Dig deeper:
"Use of force is always a really tricky area because police officers have training and they have the protocols and they have to make decisions very quickly about how they're going to handle potentially dangerous situations. They're not only worried about apprehending a suspect, they're also worried about what they're use of force and adhering to their protocols are going to do to other members of the community," said attorney Kush Arora with Price Benowitz, LLP.
Officers chased him on foot and used a taser to knock him down. The child was safely removed. police say Burkhardt continued to struggle, including reaching for an officer's gun.
The police report says officers then used strikes, tasers again, and two K-9 bites to subdue him.
The State's Attorney's Office declined to comment but said there were no serious injuries to the children or deputies.
Burkhardt was sent to Frederick Health Hospital to check for injuries. He's facing separate charges related to allegedly fleeing from the hospital, being chased by police, and grabbing an officer's weapon once again.
What's next:
Burkhardt is now facing the following charges.
- Two counts of First-Degree Assault
- Four counts of Second-Degree Assault
- Disarming a Law Enforcement Officer
- Attempt by Driver to Elude a Uniformed Police Officer by Failing to Stop
- Attempt by Driver to Elude Police in an Official Police Vehicle by Failing to Stop
- Reckless Driving
- Negligent Driving a Vehicle in a Careless and Imprudent Manner Endangering Property, Life, and Person
- Failure to Drive on the Right-Hand Roadway of a Divided Highway
- Driving on the Median Strip of a Divided Highway
- Failing to Secure a Child Under Two Years Old in a Rear-Facing Child Safety Seat that Complies with Federal Regulations
- Willfully Disobeying the Lawful Order or Direction of a Police Officer
He will remain behind bars at least until his next court hearing on Dec. 23.