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Police had to go through extreme measures to apprehend Emmitsburg resident Aaron Dove, 43, who is facing a slew of charges following an early morning spree of mayhem, officials said.
At approximately 1:15 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 3, members of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office responded to separate incidents in the 15600 and 15800 blocks of Old Frederick Road where there was a reported hit-and-run and potential armed robbery in progress.
Sheriff’s deputies had no idea what they were about to encounter.
Upon arrival, it was determined that Dove, sporting a tactical vest, was allegedly lighting fireworks from his vehicle and sending them into a crowd of people and a house in the 15800 block.
He then ignored police units with emergency equipment activated and fled south on Old Frederick Road.
Numerous witnesses and victims stated that Dove had been to the residence several times overnight, according to the sheriff’s office, and he apparently encountered one person and shot a roman candle into his chest at close range.
“The subject grabbed the roman candle to push it away and Dove struck the subject with his vehicle, running over his foot as he drove away,” according to the agency. “Another subject stated that Dove had struck a vehicle parked in front of the neighbor’s residence, which deputies later found with notable damage.”
With an assist from Maryland State Police, deputies made multiple attempts to stop Dove’s vehicle and were finally successful after stop sticks were deployed.
However, it was going to take more than that to stop Dove.
Wearing his tactical vest and a helmet, the sheriff said that Dove resisted arrest.
“As deputies and troopers deployed two taser rounds, two Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) spray bursts, and a less lethal sponge round, they had minimal effect,” according to officials, who eventually were able to subdue Dove and remove him from the vehicle, where he was placed into custody.
A search of Dove’s vehicle led to the seizure of numerous illegal aerial fireworks, a high-powered pellet gun with an open can of pellets, two other look-a-like guns that were an air pistol and air long gun, numerous knives, and a box of other aerial fireworks located in the truck bed, according to the sheriff’s office.
Dove was charged with:
- Eight counts of second-degree assault;
- Four counts of reckless endangerment;
- Two counts of malicious destruction of property under $1,000;
- Resisting and interfering with an arrest;
- Obstructing and hindering;
- Fireworks discharged without a permit;
- Fireworks possession without a permit.
In addition to the criminal charges, Dove also faces six different traffic citations:
- Negligent driving;
- Reckless driving;
- Failure to stop at a stop sign;
- Driver failure to obey properly placed traffic control device;
- Attempt by a driver to elude uniformed police by failing to stop;
- Attempt by a driver to elude police in an official police vehicle by failing to stop.
Anyone with information regarding the incident has been asked to contact the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office by calling (301) 600-1046 and referencing case numbers 22-096050 or 096051.
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