Baltimore Police Officer Robert Parks convicted of lesser charges in 2025 chase

A judge found Baltimore City Police Officer Robert Parks, who was accused of trying to run a man over with his cruiser, guilty of assault, misconduct in office and reckless driving Thursday.

Parks was caught on video chasing the man in his marked police vehicle back in October 2025.

He was charged with attempted murder, assault, misconduct in office and reckless driving. On Thursday, he was found not guilty of attempted murder or first-degree assault, but was convicted on the lesser charges of second-degree assault, three counts of misconduct in office and reckless driving. 

Parks' sentencing has been set for Jan. 12, 2027.

Officer Parks fired after conviction

The Baltimore City Police Department confirmed Friday that Parks has been fired. He was previously suspended without pay. 

"From the moment we became aware of this incident, I made it clear that what we saw was disturbing, and the conduct was not consistent with our standards or the expectations we have for our officers," Police Commissioner Richard Worley said in a statement. "Today's termination reflects our commitment to accountability and to ensuring that the men and women who serve this city uphold the law, our policies, and the trust placed in them by the community. We will continue to hold our officers accountable when their actions fall short of those standards."

"BPD officers take an oath to protect the residents of our city, and this individual clearly failed to live up to that oath," Mayor Brandon M. Scott added. "As always, we will not hesitate to hold anyone accountable who endangers the safety of our communities, especially those sworn to protect them."

Chase caught on viral video

Video of the incident, which later went viral online, showed Parks chasing the man with his police cruiser along Wylie Avenue. 

The prosecution and defense said that while on patrol, Parks told a crowd of people outside Wylie Liquors Bar to leave the area. During the encounter, he spotted a man whom he realized had a warrant.

Parks could be heard in the body-worn camera video played in court saying, "Come here. Don't make it worse. You gotta come." 

The man said no and walked off. That's when Parks got into the cruiser and started chasing him.

Prosecutors said at one point, Parks struck the man with his vehicle. The chase ended when the car plowed through a fence on Sumter Avenue.

The judge's verdict

Before handing down the verdict, the judge in the case said she mainly relied on the social media video of the incident.

The judge found there was no evidence to support that Parks was trying to kill the man in the video. She did say she saw Parks' patrol car make contact with the man, calling it "retaliatory force" when the man did not comply with his command and walked off.

The judge added that use of force was not reasonable in this case.

She said Parks violated the Baltimore Police Department's policies on use of force, de-escalation and use of emergency vehicles.

"While we respect the Court's decision, the behavior demonstrated by Officer Parks seriously threatened the life of the victim and the general public. As in any case, we will now prepare to advocate for an appropriate sentence that reflects the Defendant's serious actions," said State's Attorney Ivan J. Bates. "Police officers are entrusted with tremendous authority and an obligation to protect the public by making decisions on the job that prioritize safety. When an officer instead engages in reckless conduct that threatens the lives of our residents, it undermines the critical trust between law enforcement and the community. These convictions, particularly the three counts of Misconduct in Office, will place Officer Parks on our office's Do Not Call List."

Parks called to take the stand

Parks was called to the stand to testify earlier in the week, claiming he believed the man might have had a gun. 

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

During cross-examination, prosecutors asked Parks whether he actually saw a gun on the man. Parks said he did not, but he believed the man had one based on his body posture.

The victim also testified during trial, saying Parks did not mention a warrant or that he was under arrest.