Davidsonville teen sentenced to 25 years in prison for attempted murder

Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams announced today that Nicholas Kyle Hoffman, 18, of Davidsonville, was sentenced by Circuit Court Judge Stacy W. McCormack to 25 years in prison for attempted first degree murder after he intentionally ran into an individual with his car.

“This was one of the most callous displays of violence that I have witnessed in my 22 years as a prosecutor,” said Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Wes Adams. “Hoffman laid bare his cruel intent to kill when he deliberately accelerated his vehicle towards a defenseless pedestrian, and memorialized this shocking incident on video.”

On November 3, 2017, at approximately 3:08 PM, police responded to a report of a pedestrian stuck by a car in the area of Fairhill Drive, Edgewater. Upon arrival, police located the 16-year-old victim suffering from injuries officers believed to be possibly life threatening.

The driver of the vehicle was subsequently identified as Nicholas Hoffman. Hoffman initially fled the scene, but was stopped several blocks away from the incident. His vehicle sustained damage that was consistent with striking a pedestrian.

Two witnesses advised police that Hoffman intentionally ran into the victim. One of the witnesses was a passenger in the vehicle, and was instructed by Hoffman to record the incident on his cellphone.

The cellphone video shows Hoffman striking the victim, at which point the victim was thrown up onto the car before falling into the roadway. Hoffman is then heard uttering a derisive comment indicating a lack of concern for the victim’s welfare.

Hoffman was found guilty of attempted first degree murder on August 23, 2018.

“Everything went so well, I couldn’t ask for a better outcome,” said the victim’s mother. “My son is relieved that he doesn’t have to worry about this anymore.”

Maryland sentencing guidelines recommended a sentence between 10 to 18 years of active incarceration. Hoffman was sentenced to life in prison suspend all but 25 years of active incarceration.

Judge Stacy W. McCormack presided over the case. Assistant State’s Attorney Michael McGraw prosecuted the case on behalf of the citizens of Anne Arundel County.