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A Baltimore police officer has been indicted after a viral video showed him nearly hitting a Black man with his patrol vehicle.
According to PEOPLE, Officer Robert Parks is facing several charges, including second-degree attempted murder, first and second-degree assault, reckless driving, and misconduct in office, after driving his cruiser directly at a man during an on-duty encounter last month.
“These charges reflect the seriousness and dangerous nature of the actions we all witnessed,” Baltimore City State's Attorney Ivan Bates said in a statement.
The incident occurred on October 28 after Parks approached a group outside a liquor store and told them to “take a lap,” according to the indictment. When one man walked off, Parks allegedly followed in his cruiser, called the man over, and threatened to “call the dogs” when he refused.
Parks then reported “one running” over the radio and allegedly accelerated his cruiser directly at the man, striking him in a driveway, then continuing the pursuit as the man fled.
According to the indictment, Parks drove onto a sidewalk, squeezed between a utility pole and a fence, and eventually plowed through a chain-link fence into a backyard while still accelerating toward the man, who leapt over another fence to avoid being hit.
Bates described footage of the incident as "disturbing."
On Wednesday (November 12), Parks turned himself in and was released on his own recognizance the next day. He has been suspended without pay, officials said. If convicted on all counts, Parks faces up to 65 years in prison.
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