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Motorist Attempts to Strike Officers with SUV; Flees into DC; Charged with Two Counts of First Degree Assault

For Immediate Release: Saturday, June 21, 2014

Jernard Linton Cooke, of Hyattsville, has been charged with two counts of first degree assault after fleeing from police and attempting to strike two officers with his vehicle.

On Saturday, June 21, at approximately 3:34 a.m., 4th District officers observed a maroon Ford SUV traveling south on Georgia Avenue at speeds close to 100 m.p.h.. The vehicle was initially stopped at Georgia and Connecticut Avenues but the driver sped away and eluded police. Officers placed a lookout for the vehicle.

Approximately six minutes later, 3rd District officers were on the scene of a stabbing in the Silver Spring Central Business District in the 8200 block of Georgia Avenue. The southbound lanes of Georgia Avenue had been reduced to one lane for road work and officers on the scene observed the Ford and recognized it from the lookout. Two uniformed officers motioned for the driver to stop the vehicle but the driver drove the vehicle at the officers and fled into the District of Columbia.  County officers followed the vehicle into the District and stopped the vehicle on Van Buren Street near Blair Road.  During the stop, one Montgomery County officer discharged his firearm, striking a tire on the Ford. No one was injured as a result of the firearm discharge.

Occupants of the Ford SUV told police that Cooke saw the officers on foot in Silver Spring and deliberately drove toward them in an effort to strike them with the SUV.

A warrant has been obtained charging Jernard Linton Cooke, 28 years old, of the 1200 block of Chillum Manor Road, with two counts of first degree assault.  Cooke is being held in the District of Columbia on the strength of the warrant awaiting extradition.

The Montgomery County Police Department thanks the Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Secret Service for their personnel who assisted at the scene.

The six-year veteran who discharged his firearm is on paid administrative leave.

PRS

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Release ID: 14-198
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: press-releases