A Chicago man pleaded guilty to first-degree assault on a Howard County police officer Tuesday morning in Howard County Circuit Court.
Howard County State's Attorney's Office spokesman Wayne Kirwan said the incident occurred on Jan. 16 around 10:28 p.m. in the 3100 block of Burgess Mill Way when Anthony Howard, 50, used a garage door opener to get into his wife's townhouse, while sending threatening text messages to her that he would burn the house down.
During the plea hearing on June 29 before Judge William V. Tucker, Kirwan said, Deputy State's Attorney Kim Oldham said that when officers arrived, they saw Howard on his cell phone inside his car that was in a parking spot by the garage. After he refused to get out of the car and yelled at police to kill him, Howard then drove toward two officers, who both fired multiple rounds at the vehicle.
Kirwan said that the car stopped about five feet away from one of the officers, and that another resident's cell phone footage – later used as evidence in court – captured some of the confrontation. Police also found an empty five-gallon gas can in the front passenger seat of Howard's car as well as disposable cigarette lighters.
A pre-sentence investigation was ordered by Judge Tucker, Kirwan said, with a sentencing scheduled in August. Howard was released on $10,000 bond.
Prosecutors are seeking a three-year prison sentence.