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Waldorf resident William Anthony Smothers, 39, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the attempted murder of James Rudd, Jr. and related charges, according to the State’s Attorney for Charles County.
On Sept. 21, 2021, officers responded to the 140 block of Jefferson Road in Waldorf for the report of a shooting. While on the scene, officers observed Rudd suffering from a gunshot wound to the right side of his head.
They also discovered that the rear passenger side window of Rudd’s vehicle was broken, and the car had damage from suspected shot pellets on the exterior of the passenger side door, prosecutors said.
Rudd was treated by Emergency Medical Services for non-life-threatening injuries and survived.
During the course of the investigation, Smothers was identified as the shooter by a witness to the incident, authorities said. The witness also reported that the shooting was a result of a verbal argument between Smothers and Rudd.
During the argument, Smothers retrieved a shotgun, pointed it at Rudd, chased him to his vehicle, and fired, they added.
Both Smothers and Rudd fled the scene after the shooting.
At sentencing, Assistant State’s Attorney Donna Pettersen asked for the maximum penalty for the case, stating that this was a “senseless act, incredibly dangerous behavior, and disruptive to the community” and followed by stating that Smothers’ actions caused a nearby school to go on lockdown.
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