09/05/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Two Charged Following Stolen Vehicle Pursuit; Two Officers and Deputy Injured
BEL AIR, Md. (September 5, 2026) At approximately 2:05 p.m., officers from the Bel Air Police Department and deputies from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office located a vehicle that had been reported stolen.
The vehicle was occupied by two individuals. Before law enforcement attempted to stop the vehicle in the Raising Cane’s parking lot, the passenger exited the vehicle and entered the restaurant.
When officers and deputies attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver fled. During the incident, the vehicle struck a Bel Air Police officer and a Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputy who were standing outside their vehicles. The vehicle also struck and damaged law enforcement vehicles before fleeing the parking lot.
A pursuit followed. The driver was apprehended a short time later in the Jarrettsville area after exiting the vehicle and fleeing on foot. The passenger was also located and taken into custody.
The passenger was identified as Janay Ellenore Morrison, 18, of Baltimore County, according to the identification she provided. Morrison was charged with:
Theft of a motor vehicle
Possession of a motor vehicle
Resisting arrest
The driver refused to provide identifying information and was charged under the name John Doe. He was charged with:
Two counts of attempted murder
First-degree assault
Second-degree assault
Theft of a motor vehicle
Possession of a motor vehicle
Resisting arrest
Hit-and-run offenses
Malicious destruction of property
Multiple traffic violations
The Bel Air Police officer struck during the initial incident was transported to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center with injuries that are not considered life-threatening. A second Bel Air Police officer was injured during the pursuit and received treatment at a local hospital. The Harford County Sheriff’s Office deputy sustained minor injuries and was not transported to a hospital.
The investigation remains active. Additional information will be released when appropriate.
All individuals charged with criminal offenses are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.