Maryland man, 18, pleads related to shootout in downtown Hagerstown

An 18-year-old Hagerstown man recently pleaded guilty to one count of first-degree assault related to an April 3 shootout in broad daylight in the downtown Hagerstown area.

Washington County Circuit Court Judge Brett R. Wilson postponed the sentencing hearing, asking for a pre-sentence report for the defendant, Michael Anthony Jones, given his age, the nature of the alleged offenses and some differences in key facts presented at the hearing.

The shootout occurred between two groups in the area of an alley next to the Mulberry Lofts building in the first block of North Mulberry Street, with officers finding a dropped cellphone near the northeast corner of the building, according to court records.

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An innocent bystander had a bullet go through one leg and lodge in the other leg as he walked a 3-year-old from his friend's house to the nearby Dollar General for candy, Assistant State's Attorney Amy Taylor told Wilson.

Jones wasn't charged with that wounding, but he had faced four counts each of attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder, and first- and second-degree assault as well as other charges. The attempted murder charges were for allegedly trying to kill Dajor Javon Montrey Walden and three people police haven't yet identified.

The first-degree assault charge to which Jones pleaded guilty last Wednesday was for assaulting Walden.

The rest of the charges against Jones, including a separate but related case in which Hagerstown Police seized guns and ammunition found in Jones' bedroom three days later, were dismissed as part of the plea deal.

Taylor said the plea deal includes Jones forfeiting the weapons and ammo authorities seized from his home. The weapons included a black AR-15-style semi-automatic rifle with 28 rounds and a black polymer P80-type handgun with no serial number, typically referred to as a "ghost gun," she said.

Walden also is facing charges from the April 3 shootout, including attempted first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder for allegedly shooting the innocent bystander, according to court records.

Walden was originally charged with four counts each of attempted first-degree murder and attempted second-degree murder related to the shootout. Those charges were updated to include just one count each of the attempted murder charges.

His trial is scheduled for December.

Before Wilson decided to postpone the sentencing hearing, Taylor recommended Jones receive a seven-year sentence in state prison, with all but 18 months suspended and to be served in the local jail. She also recommended five years supervised probation.

Wilson ordered Jones to continue to be held without bond at the Washington County Detention Center until the sentencing hearing.

Defense attorney Nevin Young asked the judge to consider Jones have home detention or provide him the opportunity to post bond, given that at his age, even with pretrial detention, he could be "associating with the wrong people."

Wilson said Jones' association with the wrong people began before his incarceration. He said Young could file a motion regarding the request for bond or home detention.

Attorneys present facts regarding April 3 shootout in downtown Hagerstown area

Taylor said if the case had gone to trial, testimony and evidence would have included a Hagerstown Police detective responding to a reported shooting in the 200 block of East Franklin Street at 7:26 p.m. on April 3.

Police found a man, shot in both legs, whom they determined to be an innocent bystander.

Surveillance camera footage from Mulberry Lofts shows a black Chrysler Sebring go down the alley, cross the street and stop, Taylor said. Then a white Honda Fit goes down the alley. A driver with a face mask has a gun and there is shooting. An unidentified passenger is shooting at the Sebring.

Taylor said people are seen exiting the Sebring and a person comes around the corner facing the Honda and shoots.

Evidence collected included casings and a phone. Police said in charging documents there was evidence indicating the phone belonged to Jones.

Taylor said the Honda was registered to Jones' mother, who allegedly said her son uses her car.

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On April 6, a search and seizure warrant was executed at Jones' home in the 300 block of South Cannon Avenue.

Several weapons and ammo were found in Jones' bedroom and/or bedroom closet, according to charging documents.

Young, Jones' defense attorney, told Wilson he had two videos, via the discovery process, showing most of the events unfolding.

Young said after the Chrysler reached the end of the alley and a man comes around the corner, there are two people in the alley in a "low-ready position," appearing to have guns and waiting.

Then the Honda enters the alley.

Three people pile out of the Honda "in such a panic" that they don't put the car in park and it rolls down the alley, Young said.

At that point, Wilson said he just needed the facts for the plea and Young could save the rest for the sentencing hearing.

Later Wilson cited differences in key facts as one reason for ordering a pre-sentence investigation and postponing the sentencing.

Other than Jones and Walden, no one else had been charged in the shootout as of Oct. 25, according to Hagerstown Police.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Attempted murder charges dropped against Hagerstown man in shootout