Md. man convicted for ramming police cruiser

A man accused of trying to kill a Prince George's County police officer last fall by repeatedly ramming her cruiser with his Ford Explorer was convicted Wednesday of second-degree assault.

A Circuit Court jury in Upper Marlboro acquitted Leroy Turrentine, 38, of Adelphi of attempted first- and second-degree murder, first-degree assault and reckless endangerment.

Tanya Brooks, the officer whose cruiser Turrentine hit, fired 12 rounds into Turrentine's sport-utility vehicle after it hit her cruiser, according to trial testimony. None of the rounds hit Turrentine, although his windshield was shattered.

The incident occurred about 4:45 p.m. Oct. 15, 2008, on a residential street in Oxon Hill, according to court papers. Police charging documents say Turrentine smashed into Brooks's cruiser, which was parked on the street, at high speed, forcing the back of the cruiser into a concrete barrier and lifting the cruiser's rear four feet off the ground. "The defendant continued to ram Cpl. Brooks marked police cruiser," the charging documents say.

Much of the incident was captured by a camera mounted in Brooks's cruiser. The video was played for the jury.

Footage from the camera showed the Ford Explorer crossing the yellow line and heading toward the cruiser. The SUV appears to speed up in the moment before impact.

After the impact, the Explorer remains in place, and eventually backs slowly away from the cruiser. Moments later, a puff of smoke is seen wafting in front of the SUV's windshield.

Assistant Public Defender Robert McGowan, Turrentine's defense attorney, said the smoke appeared to be from the shots Brooks fired.

Circuit Court Judge Maureen M. Lamasney scheduled sentencing for Jan. 8.