A sheriff's deputy is on administrative leave after firing his gun during a confrontation while off-duty, Harford County authorities said.
The altercation began after a man rear-ended the car of an off-duty sheriff's deputy while stopped in traffic on Norrisville Road.
Authorities say William Redding Harvey V, 33, tried to drive away after the deputy approached his car. The deputy said he fired his service weapon because he was concerned that he might be struck by the fleeing car, the Baltimore Sun reports:
The deputy told investigators he had reason to believe Harvey was planning to flee the scene, at which point the deputy told Harvey he would be arrested if he did.
"We believe the deputy tried to reach into the car to bring the suspect out of the car," Hopkins said.
Harvey is alleged to have started to pull away from the deputy, who was still at the driver's side door and the deputy was "dragged or caught up in the door, and the car pulled away with the deputy," Hopkins said.
Harvey continued driving away, but later crashed his car and was caught after a foot chase, authorities said. He was evaluated at a hospital and arrested upon his release on second-degree assault, resisting arrest, and other charges, reported the Baltimore Sun..
Online court records don't list a defense lawyer.
