Md. Officer Charged In Off-Duty Crash

A Howard County (Md.) Police officer involved in a traffic accident in Anne Arundel County that injured two children faces assault and traffic charges in connection with the incident.

Symchay Kon Bendu, 28, a four-year member of the force, faces four counts of second-degree assault, two counts of negligent driving and one count of reckless driving in connection with the June 8 accident that sent two girls, ages 11 and 4, to the Johns Hopkins Children's Center in critical condition.

According to Anne Arundel County police, Bendu, who was on duty at the time, was traveling eastbound on Route 100, approximately 11 miles from the Howard County line, when he attempted to make an illegal U-turn onto westbound Route 100 where the road merges with Route 10 southbound.

While attempting to make the turn, Bendu drove his police Dodge Charger directly into the path of a 2005 Honda Civic, which was traveling southbound on Route 10.

Read the full Baltimore Sun story.