On June 10, 2014, at approximately 6:58 a.m., officers from the Northern District responded to a parking lot in the 700 block of E. Ordnance Road in Curtis Bay for a report of an individual with a gun.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with the parties involved, the 47-year-old male victim and the suspect, identified as off-duty Prince George’s County Police Officer Joey Torres. Officers learned that the victim was traveling on I-97 when he observed a Chevrolet Equinox being operated by Torres in the left lane passing traffic. The victim moved behind the vehicle to keep up with traffic. The victim reported that the suspect slowed his vehicle down, resulting in the victim passing him. After a short distance, the victim reported that the suspect started driving behind him and following him. The victim later traveled onto I-695E to get to Ordnance Road when he observed the Equinox behind him again. At that time, the victim pulled his Volkswagen Passat into a parking lot in the 700 block of E. Ordnance Road and the suspect followed him into that lot.
At one point, the victim went to turn his vehicle around to exit the parking lot, but the suspect used his vehicle to block him from leaving, exited his vehicle and retrieved a gun from the trunk of his vehicle. According to independent witnesses, the suspect approached the victim’s vehicle in an aggressive manner, stepped in front of the victim’s vehicle and pointed his gun inside the vehicle. The victim was ultimately able to drive away. The suspect attempted to follow the victim’s vehicle on foot. The victim eventually drove out of the parking lot to another location, where he waited for the arrival of police. According to the victim, at no time during this incident did Mr. Torres identify himself as a police officer.
While on scene, Anne Arundel County Police Officers confirmed that Mr. Torres was an off-duty Prince George’s County Police Officer and they took possession of his departmental service weapon, a loaded Smith & Wesson M&P 40 handgun.
Mr. Torres was arrested and transported to Northern District where he was charged with first degree assault, second degree assault, reckless endangerment and using a firearm in the commission of crime of violence. Mr. Torres appeared before a court commissioner and was later released on his own recognizance.
Source: AACoPD
