Dump Truck Assailant Pleads Guilty to Attempted Murder

GLENARDEN, MD — An Aquasco man pleaded guilty Monday to using his dump truck to ram two Prince George’s County Police cruisers, nearly running down two police officers, and will remain confined to a mental health facility.

Gene Thomas Brandon Jr., 32, of Aquasco, was indicted last year on two counts of attempted first- and second-degree murder and other charges related to the Jan. 7, 2015, incident, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s office.

On Monday, Brandon pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted first-degree murder for trying to ram police officers with a dump truck. But, Brandon was found not criminally and will remain committed to a mental health facility for treatment.

The court has ordered a status update every six months on Brandon’s condition, prosecutors said.

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Investigators said Brandon has a history of mental illness and he told detectives that he had not been taking his prescribed medication at the time of the confrontation, police said.

Officers Jeffrey Brag and Rodney Lauchman were standing next to their marked cruisers in the Woodmore Town Center parking lot in Glenarden when Brandon drove the dump truck next to the officers and yelled at them, reportedly accusing them of killing his brother.

The officers replied that they did not kill his brother and that he needed to move his truck because he was blocking traffic, according to the indictment.

After telling the officers that they were about to have a nice day, Brandon began driving the dump truck toward the police cars, at a high rate of speed.

The officers ran into a nearby field to escape the dump truck. Brandon then struck Lauchman’s cruiser with the dump truck and drove up onto its trunk, which pushed the patrol car into Bragg’s cruiser. Brandon continued driving about 100 feet into the intersection, continually pushing the cruiser, authorities said.

After stopping his truck, Brandon got out and approached the officers in the field, where they took him into custody without incident.

The incident was captured on video and released by the Prince George’s County Police Department.

Photo Credits: @PGPDNews Twitter and Screenshot PGPD Blog Video