ELKRIDGE, Md. — Maryland State Police shot and killed a suspected impaired driver today, after he allegedly dragged a trooper half-a-mile, while trying to flee a traffic stop on I-95 in Howard County.
The deceased suspect has been identified as 36-years-old Julio Cesar Moran-Ruiz, of Baltimore. He died on scene.
Maryland State Police say the trooper involved is three-year veteran Robert Kreczmer.
Shortly after 2:00 a.m. Kreczmer saw a red Ford Escape weaving across multiple lanes. He pulled the car over on I-95 near Rt. 100 in Elkridge.
Kreczmer reportedly called for backup.
"After the back-up trooper arrived the trooper asked the driver to exit the car so he could conduct standard field sobriety test. The driver repeatedly refused to get out of the vehicle. He provided no identification and gave the trooper what, has turned out to be, a false name," said Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Maryland State Police Superintendent.
Police say the trooper reached into the car to take the keys out of the ignition, after Moran-Ruiz had put it in drive.
That's when Moran-Ruiz accelerated and drove off, dragging the trooper more than 2,000 feet down the interstate.
"The preliminary investigation indicates the Trooper yelled repeatedly to stop and warning him that he would shoot," Jones said.
Kreczmer was eventually thrown from the car and found by another trooper just shy of where the suspect's vehicle came to rest.
Luckily, Kreczmer suffered only minor injuries and was treated and released from a hospital.
Following the incident, multiple containers of alcohol were found inside the car along with a machete.
The troopers involved are on routine administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal investigation.
The case will also be reviewed by the Howard County State's Attorney's Office.
