Darious A. Jones and Marcus D. Courtney
Great Mills, MD— On July 12, St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Bush was contacted by St. Mary’s County Emergency Communications Center (911) and was advised that a victim was being chased by a blue-colored Saturn on Chancellors Run Road in Great Mills.
The victim advised to dispatchers, and later told deputies, he was leaving an apartment on Lexwood Drive in his vehicle when the blue Saturn pulled out behind him and began to follow him for reasons unknown to him.
According to charging documents, “The victim stated he was driving with his windows down and after being followed a short distance he (victim) allegedly heard a gunshot fired from the suspect’s vehicle behind him which he believed was directed at him.”
The victim advised out of fear he began to increase his speed in an attempt to elude the Saturn, which began chasing him, eventually traveling onto Chancellors Run Road.
After quickly traveling onto another road the victim was able to lose the Saturn and take shelter inside of a family member’s residence where he awaited contact from deputies.
Deputies were able to locate the Saturn and the alleged suspect minutes after the victim’s phone call. The suspect was identified as Darious A. Jones, 23, of Great Mills.
Bush looked inside the vehicle and, “located in plain view was a black long rifle lying on the rear floorboard. Bush removed the gun from the vehicle to make it safe and when Bush did there was a round in the chamber and three inside the magazine,” according to charging documents.
Jones and a co-suspect, identified as Marcus Courtney, 24 of Great Mills where arrested and transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center, where they were both charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault and reckless endangerment from a car.
Jones had his bail set at $100,000, at this time Courtney is still awaiting for his bail to be set. Both suspects at this time do not have court dates set. If found guilty of the charges both defendants face maximum jail sentences of 40 years and/or a maximum fines of $7,500.
Contact Charles Seifert at c.seifert@thebaynet.com