Lunatic seriously assaults Maryland State Trooper while being given a courtesy ride

[Terminator]

An Ellwood City man was being held in a Maryland jail Tuesday on $500,000 bond for punching a Maryland state trooper Sunday and trying to take the officer's gun, authorities reported.

Jeffrey Allen Burns, 25, of 311 Fourth St., Apartment 2, was charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault, assaulting a police officer and trying to disarm a police officer, according to a report on the Web site for Maryland district courts.

Trooper Christopher Toey was driving home around 9:45 a.m. Sunday when he picked up Burns, who was walking along Interstate 68 near Flintstone, Md., according to a state police press release. Pedestrians are not allowed on the highway.

Cpl. W.D. Frye said Toey ran a standard background check on Burns, but found nothing amiss.

"Everything checked out OK," Frye said.

Toey then offered to give Burns a ride to Cumberland about 15 miles away. Burns was placed in the front seat, which is normal procedure, Frye said, because state police vehicles do not have cages to separate troopers from back-seat passengers.

Burns "snapped or whatever" and began punching Toey in the face, Frye said. Then Burns tried to take Toey's gun, he said.

A shot was fired down through the front seat, Frye said. Toey managed to steer his patrol car off the highway and stop. At that point, Frye said, Burns jumped out of the car and ran into some woods, where he was caught almost immediately by Toey and another trooper.

Frye could not offer a reason for the attack, but Sgt. C.E. Brehm of the Maryland State Police told the Cumberland Times-News that Burns suffers from schizophrenia.

According to an online search of state criminal records, Burns has been arrested twice for drunken driving in Lawrence County, once in July 2000 and once in July 2005. In 2000, he was placed in the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program for first-time offenders.

The last entry for the 2005 case says a bench warrant was issued for Burns in May 2006.

Toey was treated at a hospital for bruises and scrapes to his face. Burns wasn't injured, police said.

[10-42Adam]

Just another reason why cages should be put in most every police vehicle. I'm glad the Trooper is okay...

[lewisipso]

That's the reason I hate that we are a taxi service.
I have a sorry excuse for a cage but at least I have one.

[SANDMAN]

Are you guys not aloud to stick them in the trunk.

[phantasm]

Shouldn't there be an additional charge of attempted robbery too? Just because we're the police, doesn't mean we can't be "robbed".