Baltimore County Officer Charged with Assault, Reported by Baltimore City Police

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — A nine-year veteran of the Baltimore County Police Department is charged with assault after kicking a suspect following a lengthy pursuit, officials allege. City police who had been following the chase in their department's helicopter witnessed and reported the incident, according to the Baltimore County Police Department.

Officer Christopher M. Spivey, 29, assigned to the Woodlawn precinct, was charged Monday morning with second-degree assault. Police said the charge was related to a case on Wednesday, Jan. 25, in which a high-speed vehicle pursuit ended with a foot chase.

At 10:40 a.m. that day, police responded to a report of a 2003 Volvo stolen from Wegmans in the 10100 block of Reisterstown Road. Officers on patrol near Liberty Road later in the day spotted the car. When they tried to stop it, the car sped away and crashed near the Liberty at Milford Mill road intersection.

During the pursuit, the Baltimore Police Department's helicopter, Foxtrot, was enlisted to help.

The suspect — Diamonte Tyquan Farrar, 20, of the 1700 block of Smallwood Street — was apprehended at the end of a lengthy foot pursuit, police said in a statement.

"One officer, determined through investigation to be Spivey, ran up to the suspect and kicked him several times," police reported.

The crew aboard Foxtrot witnessed the assault, which was recorded by the helicopter, officials said.

Internal affairs from the Baltimore Police Department reached out their counterparts in Baltimore County with the footage and reported the possible assault.

The video was not being released because it was part of an ongoing investigation and was needed to ensure Spivey had the right to a fair trial, Baltimore County police said.

According to officials, Spivey will be suspended with pay per departmental regulations. He is slated to appear in Baltimore County District Court on April 3.

Farrar was charged with unlawful taking of a motor vehicle; theft from $1,000 to $10,000; and unauthorized removal of property. He was being held without bail, according to court records.

File image via Baltimore Police.