From Maryland State Police:
A Maryland state trooper has been arrested subsequent to a Grand Jury indictment charging him with assault on a man being arrested following a pursuit on I-95 in Harford County last fall.
The trooper is identified as Trooper Matin (sic) M. Dunlap, 25. He is charged with one count of first degree assault, three counts of second degree assault, and two counts of misconduct in office. Dunlap was indicted yesterday by a Harford County Grand Jury after investigative information was presented by the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office. Dunlap turned himself in to State Police investigators at the Bel Air Barrack just before 1:00 p.m. today. After processing, he had an initial appearance before a court commissioner and was released on $1,000 bond.
The victim of the assault is identified as Dennis M. D. Donoghue, 55, of Riverdale, Md. Donoghue was the driver and sole occupant of a Chevrolet Captiva that fled from Dunlap and other troopers attempting to stop it on I-95 at about 11:30 p.m. on October 22, 2015.
The investigation was conducted by the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division Northern Region. The investigation began the day after Donoghue’s arrest, when complaints were received from state troopers who were involved in the arrest after he was stopped.
The investigation found Donoghue was stopped on the right shoulder of northbound I-95 near White Marsh. Trooper Dunlap was assigned to the JFK Highway Barrack and was working patrol in a marked car when he spotted the stopped vehicle and pulled up behind it. As the trooper walked up to the stopped car to check on the occupant, the driver, later identified as Donoghue, accelerated away. Dunlap called the barrack and began to follow the vehicle with his emergency equipment activated.
Donoghue turned off his vehicle lights and continued north on I-95, refusing to pull over and stop. Additional troopers joined the pursuit. Donoghue was not driving at excessive speed, but was driving with his lights out and ignoring the emergency lights and sirens of the patrol cars. During the pursuit, Donoghue’s car collided with a marked patrol car driven by a supervisor from the JFK Barrack.
Troopers deployed stop sticks that successfully deflated tires on the car. Donoghue’s vehicle stopped along I-95 north, south of Belcamp.
The investigation found a trooper first class and a corporal who had been in the pursuit were the first to reach Donoghue and get him out of his car. They reported he was not fighting them, but was passively resisting and they were not immediately able to get him handcuffed.
While they were attempting to handcuff Donoghue, who was lying on the ground, the troopers reported Trooper Dunlap intervened and began jabbing the man repeatedly in the abdomen and side with a metal expandable baton. He also struck and injured the hand of one of the troopers trying to handcuff the driver.
The investigation found a State Police corporal grabbed Dunlap’s expandable baton in an attempt to stop him from striking Donoghue. The corporal reported the trooper pulled the baton away and continued to jab Donoghue. A State Police sergeant arriving at the scene forcibly pushed Trooper Dunlap away from Donoghue and ended the assault.
Donoghue did not request or require medical treatment according to troopers who arrested him. He was taken to the Harford County Detention Center.
Troopers who witnessed the actions of Trooper Dunlap reported what they saw to barrack command staff that night and the criminal investigation began the next morning. Dunlap was suspended with pay and assigned to administrative duties when the criminal investigation began.
State Police criminal investigators presented their completed investigation to Harford County State’s Attorney Joe Cassilly. The evidence was presented to a Harford County Grand Jury and the indictment was issued.
Subsequent to his arrest today, Dunlap has been suspended without pay. He has been employed by the Maryland State Police since July 2013. The Maryland State Police Internal Affairs Unit is also investigating the actions of Trooper Dunlap.
Wow. Sounds like he totally lost it.
If all the Maryland state police are going to do is write traffic violations all day, can’t we just eliminate the state police altogether and hire more transportation police? The transportation police work for much less that the state police do.
Way to go “Blue”. 🙁
Where does it say the apprehended suspect refused medical treatment? Was that left out?
Police chase, resisting. I thought “use of force” with a baton in certain areas (ie:; not your head) was good to go?
It’s not like the guy was just randomly beat up.
Politically, GET THE F@#$ OUTTA HERE. Unless a trooper is in physical danger he can’t just beat people up with a baton. The article did say the suspect refused medical treatment, and that other troopers tried to stop him. That is a tough job with a lot of responsibility and authority. Only people who can control themselves are fit to serve in that role.
Chris, what are MDSP use of force in regards to the baton?
What is the MD Police and Correction training commission criteria on use of the baton?
I’m pretty sure striking a subject is included with use of a baton.
In fear for their life? That’s what their duty firearm is for, to protect them and stop a threat.
Don’t tell me to “get the F out of here.” You’re just another ignorant cretan who takes one side of the story/published story as gospel.
Please, “tell me how it is” I can’t wait to read your response.
Well the simple facts are the other cops (on the scene) thought he was wrong, his boss thought he was wrong, and the state’s attorney thought he was wrong. So unless he is the subject of smear campaign by the state police (possible but highly unlikely), you are wrong. He was on the ground and other cops tried to stop him. I am with you when resisting arrest officers can defend themselves, but they cannot ever lose their temper. They have too much power and authority to let things like this slide. This is the reporting of the investigation that was done, not hearsay from some unnamed source.
Hey Asshole Chris, how is a suspect who is alluding/fleeing from Police, had to use spike strips to disable the vehicle, and then resisting arrest from TWO law enforcement officers not considered a danger?
Hey I never called you any names I merely said get the F out of here cause you comments were incorrect. They specifically said passively assisting arrest, that sounds like he did not cuff himself and jump in the back seat. passive defintion accepting or allowing what happens or what others do, without active response or resistance.
Thought I would change my name so it would be easier to identify.
Let me apologize for the ass comment.
I’m sorry too. Sometime in the digital world we forgot that disagreement are just that, disagreements. I shouldn’t have used that language. I really feel for those guys who do that job, but I just think that they have to be held to a high standard because of the trust and power we give them as a society. I will keep my expletives to myself in the future.
A police officer in the performance of his/her duty can use only that force necessary to affect an arrest. Any force unnecessary is a criminal offence, subject to the criminal statutes. If a suspect is under control and not violently resisting then it is obvious that a crime was committed here. This will now be decided by the courts.
Dennis Donoghue, sounds like a white guy, white lives matter. When do the white people riot? He should get a good attorney, collect a few million than retire in the islands.
White people can’t riot until Saturday, they have to go to work during the week.
This is where a body camera can be good. It’s one thing to strike a handcuffed suspect, I believe Maryland law and all forms of Police training in this state allow law officers to use force to get a suspects hands out and “cuffed”
What type of force? I have no clue. To me it’s anything other than causing a fatality. If you arm is broken because they couldn’t see your hands. You are a danger and that’s what it took to get you in handcuffs to make sure you are not a danger or threat
Don’t run from the cops…speed down 95 with your lights off (could have hit any of us driving) if you don’t want the beat down. You can take off away from cops….truck down 95 with your lights off….then just say “ok…I’m done. I got caught”… don’t work that way
Well, if you do say ok…..I’m done, I got caught, and don’t actively resist then it does work that way. Appears that we now have a State Trooper who is going to pay a high price for not believing that it works that way.
Sad state of affairs. Criminals can do whatever they want for as long as they want…but when they say “ok..it’s over”… all is good! Hold hands and it’s done! yea!!!!!
Hold hands and it’s done! You suggest that no further actions will be taken against the criminal. Nothing could be further from the truth. The suspect in this case was being handcuffed and taken into custody. He ended up in the Detention Center pending charges. As a result of the Troopers actions, he too is pending prosecution for his illegal and unlawful acts.
Is this all a sad state of affairs? Absolutely.
I can riot not this week, but maybe some time next week or next month. Weekends are no good as that’s my time and having to get up every morning at 6 and going to work I’m too tired during the week.
Is that you champ?
Just wait for the riots soon! the REVEREEENNNDDD Jessie Jackson will be their…money will be given away to the driver….oh wait…the Trooper was black…never mind…