The 21-year-old man charged with intentionally running over a Montgomery County, Maryland, police officer was found not guilty of attempted murder but guilty of 13 other charges related to a crash that caused Sgt. Patrick Kepp to lose both of his legs.
A jury on Friday found Raphael Mayorga, who was 19 at the time of the 2023 crash, guilty of second-degree assault, failure to return to and remain at the scene of a crash and multiple counts of fleeing and eluding police.
The jury acquitted Mayorga of the most serious charges of attempted murder and first-degree assault.
“I am so deeply disappointed,” Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said in a statement following the verdict. “You should not be able to drive at outrageous speeds and go free because we can’t chase you. Senseless incidents like this should not occur in our County or anywhere. This jury missed an opportunity to deliver a serious message to those who use our roads like a racetrack.”
Mayorga, of Frederick, was speeding in a green Dodge Challenger on Interstate 270 in October 2023 when Montgomery County police officers attempted to stop him.
Police knew who Mayorga was due to his previous traffic violations. Former Montgomery County Police Chief Marcus Jones said it was a tactic he had often used in the past “to provoke officers.”
While laying down stop sticks on the road to deflate the car’s tires, Kepp was struck by Mayorga, who driving over 100 mph. The officer survived the crash, but had to have both of his legs amputated as a result of his injuries.
After striking Kepp, Mayorga kept driving before hitting a second pair of stop sticks further down the roadway.
“He was unlicensed, on probation and was engaging in a series of these kinds of activities, very, very similar to the tragic circumstances that resulted in these catastrophic injuries to Officer Kepp,” Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said at the time about Mayorga’s alleged history of reckless driving.
“We stand by the charges filed in this case and we are disappointed with the verdict. The sergeant who received catastrophic injuries in this incident is a hero. Our hearts are with him and the officers who put their lives at risk every day to protect and serve the people of Montgomery County,” McCarthy said in a statement Friday.
Police Chief Marc Yamada added that Mayorga’s acquittal was “profoundly disappointing” and “difficult to accept.”
“This outcome is devastating—not only for Sgt. Kepp but for every member of our department who has stood beside him throughout his recovery and pursuit of justice. Unfortunately, we have limited influence over how the judicial process unfolds. However, as law enforcement officers, we must accept and respect the decisions rendered,” Yamada wrote in a statement on Friday.
After several surgeries and rehabilitation, Kepp told WTOP in December 2023 how he was processing returning to everyday life two months after the incident.
“It’s been difficult and I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t difficult. It’s a journey, and I have to accept every part of it,” he said. “It took me a while to realize that there are people from around the world that this has impacted.”
In November 2024, he rejoined the police force. Outside of being an officer, he worked as a line judge in Division 1 college football.
“I wanted to be back on the road and back keeping the roadway safe, doing traffic safety, locking up drunk drivers, like I’ve done for my whole career, and it’s really important to me,” Kepp told WTOP.
Mayorga faces a maximum penalty of more than 28 years in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 27.
WTOP’s Thomas Robertson contributed to this report.
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