Three law enforcement officers were injured after authorities tried to stop a vehicle reported stolen in Harford County.
BEL AIR, MD — A 17-year-old boy faces two counts of attempted murder and other charges after authorities say he struck a police officer and sheriff’s deputy with a stolen vehicle before leading law enforcement on a pursuit through Harford County.
The Sept. 5 incident left two Bel Air police officers and a Harford County sheriff’s deputy injured. The teen was initially charged under the name John Doe after authorities said he refused to identify himself. Police later confirmed he was 17 but have withheld his name because the case could be transferred to juvenile court.
The incident began shortly after 2 p.m. when officers from the Bel Air Police Department and deputies from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office located a vehicle that had been reported stolen. Authorities said two people were inside. Before police tried to stop the vehicle near a Raising Cane’s restaurant in Bel Air, the passenger got out and entered the restaurant.
When officers and deputies moved to stop the vehicle, authorities say the driver fled. Police said the vehicle struck a Bel Air officer and a sheriff’s deputy who were standing outside their vehicles. The driver also allegedly struck and damaged law enforcement vehicles before leaving the parking lot and continuing onto nearby roads.
A pursuit followed through the Bel Air area and into Jarrettsville. Charging documents cited by local news reports describe the vehicle as a gray 2006 Chrysler Pacifica that had been reported stolen from Baltimore County. The documents say a license plate recognition system alerted a sheriff’s deputy to the vehicle before dispatchers confirmed it had been reported stolen.
Authorities said the pursuit eventually reached a residential area in Jarrettsville, where the vehicle went onto private property and crashed near a tree line. Police said the driver abandoned the vehicle and ran before officers took him into custody. A second Bel Air officer was injured during the pursuit, while the sheriff’s deputy suffered minor injuries.
The Bel Air officer who was struck during the initial encounter was taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center with injuries police described as not life-threatening. The second Bel Air officer received treatment at a local hospital. The sheriff’s deputy was not taken to a hospital.
Police initially filed charges against the driver as John Doe because authorities said he would not provide identifying information. He was later identified as a 17-year-old. Authorities have not publicly released his name because of his age and the possibility that the case could move from adult court to juvenile court.
The teen is charged with two counts of attempted murder, first-degree assault, second-degree assault, theft and possession of a motor vehicle, resisting arrest, hit-and-run offenses, malicious destruction of property and multiple traffic violations. The charges are allegations, and the teen has not been convicted.
Authorities also arrested 18-year-old Janay Ellenore Morrison of Baltimore County, whom police identified as the vehicle’s passenger. Police said Morrison left the vehicle before the attempted stop and pursuit. She faces charges related to the allegedly stolen vehicle and resisting arrest. Authorities have not accused her of the attempted murder counts filed against the teen driver.
The Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office told local media that both cases were being handled in adult court, though the 17-year-old’s case could still be transferred to juvenile court. Police said the investigation remains active, and authorities have not announced a final decision on whether that transfer will occur.
Author note: Last updated September 10, 2026.