Lexington Park Man Charged with Assault and Property Damage in Domestic Incident

Ricardo James O’Brien, 26, of Lexington Park, is facing charges of second-degree assault and malicious destruction of property following a domestic dispute at a residence on Maverick Court in Hollywood, Maryland, on January 4, 2025.

According to court documents, police were called to the scene after a report of an assault.

Upon arrival, officers spoke with the victim, identified as a male adult friend of O’Brien. The victim stated that O’Brien, who had been staying at his home since January 2nd due to personal issues, became upset and aggressive during a verbal argument.

The argument allegedly stemmed from O’Brien’s belief that the victim was speaking with other women. The situation escalated when O’Brien reportedly grabbed the victim by the neck and chin. The victim said he was able to push O’Brien away and retreated to his study, locking the door, while O’Brien continued yelling.

Officers observed redness around the victim’s neck. The victim also claimed that during the altercation, O’Brien damaged his property, including a television, a Wii gaming console with an extended battery pack, and window blinds. Officers confirmed visible damage to the items.

When questioned, O’Brien admitted to both the physical altercation and the property damage. He told officers that he had been drinking heavily that night and had been upset after suspecting the victim of interacting with other women. He described the confrontation as initially verbal but acknowledged grabbing the victim’s neck and chin and later using a knife to damage his television, blinds, and gaming console. Officers noted a strong smell of alcohol on O’Brien during the interview.

The victim indicated that he wanted to press charges for both the physical assault and the destruction of property.

Further investigation revealed that O’Brien had an active warrant issued by the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office for unrelated charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and theft involving amounts between $1,500 and $25,000.

Following his statement to police, O’Brien was taken into custody and transported to the St. Mary’s County Detention Center.

O’Brien now faces two misdemeanor charges: malicious destruction of property valued at less than $1,000, which carries a maximum penalty of 60 days in jail and a $500 fine, and second-degree assault, punishable by up to 10 years in prison or a $2,500 fine.

A criminal summons has been issued, and O’Brien is scheduled to appear for a preliminary inquiry on February 14, 2025, at the St. Mary’s County District Court.

This entry was posted on January 9, 2025 at 10:57 pm and is filed under A, All News, County, Law Enforcement, More News, St. Mary's News, z 600X120 Top Ad Bottom, z 600X120 Top Ad Top. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.