Man Arrested In Shooting That Damaged Officer's Car, Led To Police Pursuit That Ended In Virginia Crash
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- A 26-year-old Germantown man is in police custody after he allegedly shot at a Montgomery County Police officer and led authorities on a car chase that ended in Virginia on Monday, according to authorities.
Police initially responded to a report of a man shooting a rifle at people in the 11300 block of Hawks Ridge Terrace Germantown, Maryland, around 9:20 a.m.
Officers learned that Frederick Nijhia had fired off several rounds of bullets at a WSSC Water utility worker, striking his vehicle multiple times, police said.
Nijhia also allegedly shot at a man standing next to the utility worker's truck, according to authorities.
Officers were told that Nijhia was driving a blue Honda Civic.
Not long after police received a description of the suspect vehicle, an officer and a trainee saw the vehicle while traveling on Germantown Road towards Frederick Road, according to authorities.
Nijhia allegedly shot at the officer's patrol car, flattening its front tire, police said.
The officer reported the shooting and a police pursuit was initiated not long after that, according to authorities.
Montgomery County officers chased Nijhia onto Interstate 270, which is where he headed south toward Virginia, police said.
Virginia State Police were notified of the police pursuit and were able to intervene and stop Nijhia, according to authorities.
Nijhia was arrested and taken to a hospital in Fairfax, Virginia, to receive treatment of the non-life-threatening injuries he received when he crashed his vehicle, police said.
The 26-year-old man will be charged with four counts of attempted murder and first-degree assault with a firearm, according to a Montgomery County criminal arrest warrant.
Nijhia is currently being held in Virginia for traffic-related charges, police said.
He will be extradited to Montgomery County, according to authorities.
