A Pennsylvania man who led Maryland State Police on a high-speed chase on the Capital Beltway on Saturday morning faces numerous counts of attempted murder after he allegedly rammed police cars deliberately, injuring two officers.
Christopher E. Murphy, 30, of Horsham, Pa., was charged with attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer, malicious destruction of property, and numerous traffic charges. He is being held at the Prince George’s County central booking as he awaits his initial court appearance.
The incident started at about 10:40 a.m. Saturday, when police at the College Park Barracks received calls about an erratic driver in a convertible Ford Mustang on the Inner Loop of Interstate 495 near Route 650. When spotted by officers, Murphy accelerated away on the highway shoulders and through busy lanes of traffic at speeds of more than 100 mph.
On multiple occasions, police say, Murphy attempted to strike pursuing police cars. On I-495 near Landover Road, at 80 mph, Murphy braked abruptly and swerved to the right, striking a patrol car and causing the trooper to lose control, police say. That trooper’s car struck another state police vehicle, injuring the two officers and the female driver of a third car.
Murphy was observed, police say, “pumping his fist in the air with apparent delight at what he had caused.” The Beltway at Landover Road was closed for hours as a result.
The two troopers, identified as Michael O’Brien and Alphrin Norman, and the third driver were released from the hospital Saturday evening.
Murphy, meanwhile, lost control of his car as he ran over spikes deployed by the Maryland Department of Transportation just north of the Fort McHenry toll plaza on Interstate 95 — striking two more patrol cars.
State police spokesman Gregory Shipley said Sunday there was no indication that Murphy was under the influence of drugs at the time. The chase, including a routine review of how the officers conducted it, remains under investigation.
