NEWBURG, Md. – On February 23, 2024, at approximately 1:30 a.m., the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded to the area of Crain Highway and Budds Creek Road for reported shots fired at a moving vehicle. Charles County Communications received ongoing updates from the caller/victim. The victim stated they were following the defendant in his vehicle on Budds Creek Road.
According to court documents, Detective Beach located both vehicles following each other. Beach advised communications that both vehicles came to a stop on Ryceville Road in Mechanicsville. The defendant cooperated with responding officers and was detained following a felony stop by Charles County Officer Weinmann.
The defendant was identified by driver’s license as David Arthur Hardester, 42, of Mechanicsville.
Weinmann then spoke with Hardester and asked him where he was coming from, to which he allegedly stated “down there at the Aqualand neighborhood. I was just going to talk to him.”
Weinmann then asked Hardester how he knew the other subject involved. Hardester reportedly stated, “My wife knows him,” and then he stated, “It was an accident.”
It was later learned that the victim was expecting to meet with Hardester at his house located on Orland Park Road in Newburg. The victim told officers that he knew he and Hardester were going to fight because Hardester was aware of him talking to Hardester’s wife and their relationship. The victim told officers he expected it would be a fistfight and they would just “get it over with as men.”
Hardester’s wife later arrived on the scene at Ryceville Road. She informed officers with the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office that prior to the incident at the victim’s residence, Hardester had allegedly assaulted her at her home in St. Mary’s County due to him finding out about her relationship with the victim. She advised she was in the bedroom doorway and her husband was in the bedroom. Hardester’s wife then advised Hardester allegedly assaulted her by grabbing her and shoving her into the wall. He informed her he was headed to the victim’s residence so she notified the victim he was enroute. Officers observed Hardester’s wife had bruising on her chest and a small bruise on the victim’s right hand, which she advised was new.
The victim then went on to explain that he and Hardester met each other out in the parking area near his residence. The victim told officers when Hardester arrived in his truck, he proceeded to block Hardester in with his vehicle and shined his headlights on Hardester, who was seated in the driver’s seat of his truck. The victim then walked up to Hardester and confronted him about why he was there and what was going to happen.
According to court docs, the two argued. As the victim turned to walk away, and had his back to Hardester, who was still seated in the driver’s seat, the victim heard a loud gunshot and felt a “whiz” go past him. The victim was approximately 5 feet away from, Hardester’s vehicle door when the shot was fired. As soon as the victim heard/felt the gunshot, he began running away.
Upon officers taking Hardester into custody, they approached his truck, which had its driver’s door open. PFC. Nelson reportedly located in plain view Hardester’s handgun, loaded with live ammunition, which was in the driver’s door pocket. The handgun was later determined to be Hardester’s .9mm duty weapon as he is a police officer with the Prince George’s County Police Department.
Weinmann observed Hardester’s driver’s door which had damage consistent with a gunshot entering the door panel from inside the truck and exiting out of the door. PFC. Christian responded to the victim’s residence and observed video camera footage reportedly consistent with the victim’s story that the two met at Hardester’s truck door and a gunshot could be observed. Weinmann then returned to Hardester and read him the Miranda Warning. Hardester invoked his rights and refused questioning. Hardester was then placed under arrest and was transported to the Charles County Detention Center.
Hardester was later released on recognizance on February 26, 2024. His preliminary hearing will take place on March 22, 2024, at 9 a.m. at the Charles County District Court.
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so is Weimann also an officer, as “he returned to Hardester and read him the Miranda Warning”?