Maryland State Trooper on a traffic stop in Easton, Maryland. THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY photo
DUI driver weaved and bobbed his way down Rt. 50 into side of trooper’s cruiser
From THE CHESAPEAKE TODAY
ANNAPOLIS, MD.- Oct.4, 2015 — A driver with a record of many traffic, burglary, and drug arrests was charged with his 2nd DUI within four months and other traffic and criminal charges is under arrest again on Oct. 4, 2015 after he drove his car into the side of the patrol car of the Maryland state trooper attempting to stop him just west of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Rt. 50 in Anne Arundel County.
The driver is identified as Dillon C. Haneke, 23, of 111 Welches Drive in Edgewater, Md. He is being charged tonight by Maryland State Police with driving under the influence, assault, and reckless endangerment. He will be taken to the Anne Arundel County central booking center later tonight for his initial appearance before a court commissioner.
Haneke was charged with possession of drugs by Annapolis City Police Officer Mann on Feb. 27, 2014 and Anne Arundel County States Attorney Wes Adams put one charge on the Stet Docket and dropped other charges on Sept. 29, 2015, just five days before his latest motor vehicle escapade.
Haneke was charged with DUI and other charges including negligent driving, following too closely and speeding by Ocean City Police Officer Patterson on June 24, 2015, at 1:37 am on Coastal Ave. at 56th Street. He is due in Worcester County District Court on Nov. 4, 2015. Haneke evidently provides his money for alcohol and drugs but has the taxpayers pay for his criminal defense as a “Public” Defender represents him in this case. Public Defenders do not represent the public; that is the job of the States Attorney. Public Defenders defend those charged with criminal offenses who do not wish to hire a private attorney.
Anne Arundel County States Attorney Wes Adams ought to be required to be hog-tied across the hood of Haneke’s car on his next trip down a Maryland highway. On June 3, 2015, States Attorney Wes Adams put a charge by Anne Arundel County Police Officer Noweck against Haneke of negligent driving on the Stet Docket. About a dozen other charges of hit and run, reckless driving, driving without a permit, driving without lights in bad weather, failing to provide evidence of a permit, failing to lower speed to avoid a crash, all filed on Nov. 17, 2014 were dropped or put on the Stet Docket without any jail time and a fine of $140.Haneke was driving an ATV on Central Ave. and Welches Drive.
Prince George’s County Police Officer Joseph arrested Haneke for two counts of burglary on March 8, 2014. In Prince Georges County District Court on Aug. 20, 2014, Haneke pleaded guilty in a deal with the welfare attorneys who represented him. The deal was for a fine of $500, restitution of $5,194.71 and a jail term of three years. The prison sentence was suspended.
Adams ran on a platform of tough law enforcement but once again, he allowed a thirty-day sentence in a plea deal on an assault and reckless endangerment charge to be suspended on Sept. 14, 2015. Had Adams done his job properly and locked up this menace to society, he would have been behind bars on Oct. 4, 2015, and not able to careen down Rt. 50.
The trooper involved is identified as Trooper Andrew Lee, who is assigned to road patrol duties at the Glen Burnie Barrack. Trooper Lee has been a trooper with the Maryland State Police for 2.5 years.
At about 7:00 p.m. today, several calls from citizens were received at the Glen Burnie Barrack reporting a possible impaired driver eastbound on Rt. 50. Callers said the driver was weaving through the lanes and driving very slow.
Maryland State Police report that Trooper Lee spotted the Pontiac G6 eastbound on Rt. 50 near exit 29 and saw it weaving across lanes and driving about ten mph. The trooper activated his emergency lights and attempted to stop the car, but the driver did not stop. The trooper drove to the right side of the vehicle, lowered his window, and verbally ordered the driver to stop, with his emergency lights still activated on his marked police car. The trooper then drove ahead of the weaving vehicle, at which time the suspect struck the driver’s side of the trooper’s car.
While still in contact with the trooper’s car, the suspect’s Pontiac then struck the jersey wall and turned onto its side prior to the Bay Bridge. The patrol car did not overturn. No other vehicles were involved.
The driver was not injured and was arrested at the scene after troopers observed multiple signs of impairment. A male passenger, also impaired, was in the suspect’s car. He was taken to the Anne Arundel Co. Medical Center by ambulance.
The trooper was transported to the Anne Arundel Medical Center by another trooper. He was examined as a precaution and released.
Personnel from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police and MdTA civilian staff assisted at the crash scene, as did members of the State Highway Administration. The roadway at the scene of the crash completely reopened at about 9:30 p.m. today.
