Trial begins for Baltimore officer accused of trying to run man over with police vehicle

The trial began on Tuesday for a Baltimore police officer accused of trying to run a man over with his police cruiser. 

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

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

A prosecutor with the State's Attorney's Office argued that Parks "escalated things" in a way that violated police department policy and law.

But Parks' defense attorney said his client was trying to bring a wanted criminal into custody.   

Video footage of incident is main evidence in trial

The video footage of the incident is the main piece of evidence in the trial. Parks is accused of trying to run over a man in his marked car in October 2025 along Wylie Avenue.

The prosecution and defense say that while on patrol, Parks told a crowd of people outside the Wylie Liquors Bar to leave. He encountered a man whom he realized had a warrant.

Parks can be heard in officer body-worn camera video played in court saying, "Come here. Don't make it worse. You gotta come." The man says no and walks off.

At that point, Parks got into his marked car and chased the man who was running away in the neighborhood.

At one point, prosecutors say Parks struck him with his cruiser. The chase ended when Parks plowed through a fence on Sumter Avenue.

Victim takes the stand

On the stand, the victim said Parks made no mention that he had a warrant or that he was under arrest. He later learned the warrant was for a misdemeanor charge.

The defense argues Parks was just trying to do his job -- clearing out a crowd so that he could bring a wanted suspect into custody.

Parks' attorney argued that Parks tried stopping the man from getting into his car to prevent any danger to others, noting that Parks acted calmly and controlled before the chase.

The prosecution noted some discrepancies in the crash report that Parks wrote. They say Parks left out of the report that he struck someone with his vehicle and that he came close to striking the man again.