Suspect in Dump Truck Assault of Police Not Competent to Stand Trial

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An Aquasco man who allegedly used his dump truck to ram two Prince George’s County Police cruisers, nearly running down two police officers, is not mentally competent to stand trial.

Gene Thomas Brandon Jr., 31, of Aquasco, in February was indicted on two counts of attempted first- and second-degree murder, two counts of first- and second-degree assault and two counts of malicious destruction of property related to the Jan. 7 incident, according to the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s office.

Brandon will be committed to the Department of Mental Health and Hygiene for treatment and could eventually face a trial if he is found competent at a later time, The Washington Post reports.

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, PGPD reports.

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 allege.

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.

READ ALSO:

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• Police: Mentally Ill Dump Truck Driver Charged With Attempted Murder of Two Officers
• Police: Dump Truck Driver Intentionally Crashed Into Two Police Cars