Kent Leroy Smith Jr., 34, of Suitland
Kent Leroy Smith Jr., 34, of Suitland, was taken into custody on July 4, 2025, after a multi-hour police response involving a vehicle pursuit, foot chase, home break-ins, and the recovery of a loaded handgun. Smith, who had multiple outstanding warrants at the time, is now being held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center and faces numerous charges across two active criminal cases.
According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began at approximately 7:19 a.m. when patrol officers responded to a home on the 9400 block of Super Street in Waldorf. A female caller told 911 dispatchers she was hiding from a male who had threatened her. She said the man was still in the residence. As officers were en route, dispatch identified the suspect as Kent Leroy Smith Jr. and confirmed he had three active warrants, including one for first-degree assault.
Upon arrival, officers observed the garage door of the residence open and a gray Hyundai Tucson reverse out. According to charging documents, an officer identified Smith as the driver. When police attempted to initiate a traffic stop, Smith accelerated through the residential neighborhood at speeds approaching 60 mph in a 25 mph zone, driving recklessly and almost running off the roadway. He eventually drove off-road and into a creek near Mill Hill Road, disabling the vehicle.
Officers, including a K9 unit, canvassed the neighborhood for hours. Around 11:00 a.m., a resident on Windon Court reported seeing a man matching Smith’s description in their backyard. Officers, including PFC Owen and PFC Vanover, responded and spotted Smith walking in front of a residence on Bancroft Drive. When approached, Smith fled behind a house on Wallingford Court.
According to the probable cause statement, officers gave repeated commands for Smith to stop, but he failed to comply. As officers took him to the ground, Smith allegedly punched PFC Vanover in the head twice and struck PFC Owen in the face, causing a cut to Owen’s lower lip. “The accused failed to listen to commands, assaulted two police officers and continued to resist arrest,” the officer wrote. Smith was then tased and taken into custody. He was transported to a hospital for minor injuries before being booked at the detention center.
During the subsequent investigation, officers learned that while Smith was fleeing earlier that morning, he allegedly attempted to break into two nearby homes. One homeowner on Twinbrook Court reported hearing loud banging at the back door around 8:45 a.m. and later discovered the doorframe split and damaged. The homeowner, who checked security footage, saw a Black male wearing a ski mask, black shirt, black sweatpants, and a towel over his shoulders leaving the area. He identified that an electric bike belonging to a neighbor had also been left behind on his property.
Officers then interviewed the neighbor, who lives on Brook Drive about a quarter mile away. That resident reported that at approximately 8:17 a.m., a man matching the same description was caught on security cameras attempting to turn the doorknob at the back of the house. When unsuccessful, the man sat on the front porch and drank from a water jug before stealing a Speedrid 26-inch fat tire electric bike, valued at around $950.
PFC Kirby, who reviewed surveillance footage from both homes, stated that he recognized Smith from his involvement in the earlier vehicle and foot pursuit. “After watching the videos, I was able to identify the male as Kent Leroy Smith Jr.,” Kirby wrote in his statement, citing Smith’s matching clothing and presence in the same area during the same time frame.
Smith now faces the following charges in two separate criminal cases:
Loaded handgun in vehicle
Illegal possession of a regulated firearm
Possession of a firearm during a drug crime
Possession of a firearm by a person with prior felony convictions
Illegal possession of ammunition
Two counts of second-degree assault
Resisting arrest
Multiple traffic offenses, including reckless driving, fleeing and eluding police by vehicle and on foot, and driving without a license.
Two counts of fourth-degree burglary
Malicious destruction of property under $1,000
Theft of property valued between $100 and $1,500.
Smith was served with all four of his outstanding warrants, which included probation violations for felony assault, firearm use during a violent crime, and burglary.
At his bail review hearing on July 7, 2025, Judge Patrick J. Devine ordered Smith to remain held without bond.
The investigation remains ongoing.
