A man is in the hospital with serious injuries after police say a stranger walked up and hit him with a brick or a rock. Employees who saw the attack chased a man onto a golf course until police could capture him. News4’s Kristin Wright has the video of the chase as witnesses explain what happened.
Witnesses helped police track down a suspect after a man was brutally beaten in Rockville, Md., Tuesday.
The 22-year-old victim was leaving work at the Sam DeSanto Company, Inc., when his attacker appeared in the parking lot. Clayton Mollenhoff used a brick or large rock to strike the victim, police said.
“The perpetrator struck him at least twice in the head with a large rock,” said Mark Drury, whose employees next door witnessed the attack.
Drury’s employees went outside to help.
"Our safety director came out with another young man who works for us who is an EMT, and they tended to the victim, and I think five or six of our guys pursued him," Drury said.
They cornered the man on Red Gate Golf Course and called police to let them know where to find the suspect, Drury said.
"The gentleman jumped the fence, right in front of the teaching pro, fell on his back, got all cut up from barbed wire," course manager Dave Lessler said.
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Mollenhoff, 28, has a long criminal history and a record of mental illness. He was involuntarily committed to Washington Adventist Hospital and then escaped last year. Days later, he turned himself in.
Last November, Mollenhoff, who has extensive martial arts training, was put on supervised release.
He’s being held without bond on charges of attempted first-degree murder, robbery and first-degree assault.
The victim suffered life-threatening injuries.
