Baltimore police officer accused of trying to run over man awaits judge's verdict

A judge will now decide the fate of a Baltimore police officer accused of trying to run a man over with his police cruiser.

Closing arguments wrapped Wednesday after Officer Robert Parks returned to the stand for cross-examination.

Parks is charged with attempted murder, assault, reckless driving and misconduct in office.

The charges were filed after a video captured Parks allegedly chasing a man in his police vehicle in October 2025. The video later went viral on social media.

Parks testified that police officers monitoring city cameras alerted him that a man with a warrant was in the area. When Parks confronted the man, he said he believed the man possibly had a gun.

"The gun was at the top of my brain," Parks said in court Tuesday.

Parks takes the stand for cross-examination

During cross-examination Wednesday, Steve Trostle with the Baltimore State's Attorney's Office asked Parks whether he actually saw a gun on the man. Parks said he did not but believed the man had one based on his body posture.

Trostle also asked Parks whether he had ever seen the man with a firearm before, noting that Parks had been arrested him multiple times. Parks said he had not.

Parks and prosecutors went back and forth over whether the man had a firearm that day and how fast Parks was driving during the chase.

Parks testified that he was driving roughly 15 to 20 mph before losing control of his vehicle and crashing into a fence. Trostle challenged that claim after playing audio from Parks' vehicle, arguing that the recording indicated Parks was traveling at a higher speed.

Trostle also questioned why Parks did not wait for another officer to arrive and assist with the arrest.

Parks said he entered a note into the CAD system alerting other officers to the possible arrest. He testified, "It is my duty to act" when he sees suspicious behavior.

Defense attorney Chaz Ball played Parks' body-worn camera footage from after the chase, when Parks is seen speaking with a supervisor. In the video, Parks explained what happened and said he believed the man had a "piece" on him.

Parks could also be heard saying, "That's the first time he's ever ran on me."

Closing arguments

"What he did was patently unreasonable," Trostle said during closing arguments. "This man put everybody in peril."

Trostle argued that Parks could have killed the man he was trying to arrest and said Parks escalated the situation.

"He got ticked off this man had the audacity to walk off on him," Trostle said.

Ball argued that Parks' intent was not to violate police policy but to take a suspect into custody.

"This isn't about a crime taking place," Ball said. "He was trying to corral a criminal."

Ball added that Parks relied on his police training when deciding how to respond.

"He was doing what he believed he was trained to do," Ball said.