WASHINGTON — Howard County police say a man who tried to strike two officers with his vehicle on Friday has been charged with attempted murder.
Police said they had to fire a shot the man, Anthony Howard, 50, of Ellicott City, after he tried to ram the officers.
No injuries were reported.
Howard has since been charged with two counts each of first- and second-degree attempted murder; first-degree attempted assault; and second-degree assault.
Howard was also charged with threatening in writing to burn down a structure.
Police responded to a 911 call to Howard’s former townhouse at Burgess Mill Way at around 10:30 p.m. Howard was sending threatening text messages to a family member, that he intended to burn down the house and crash his car into the garage, police allege.
Police claim he was also threatening to harm himself.
Police said that when officers arrived, Howard was sitting in a Honda Accord with the car running in the parking lot of the townhouse, facing the garage of the home. A can of gasoline was later found in the vehicle, police said.
Howard refused to get out of the car and, instead, accelerated out of the parking spot directly at two officers who were outside their vehicles, police said.
The officers fired, striking the vehicle. Neither Howard nor the officers were injured.
Howard is currently in the booking process at the Howard County Detention Center.
Police have not yet released the names the officers involved in the incident but said they were placed on routine administrative leave, which is standard procedure following a shooting incident.
