Charles Franklin Harding Jr., 62, of Welcome
Charles Franklin Harding Jr., 62, of Welcome, is facing felony drug distribution and multiple misdemeanor charges after a May 13, 2026 traffic stop near Hawthorne Road and Lower Wharf Road in Charles County, according to District Court records.
Harding is charged with possession with intent to distribute narcotics, possession of a controlled dangerous substance that was not cannabis, second-degree assault, failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order, and reckless endangerment.
Court and citation records also list traffic-related charges including driving a vehicle on a highway with suspended registration, attempting to elude uniformed police by means other than failing to stop and fleeing on foot, knowingly driving an uninsured vehicle, failing to maintain a license plate free from covers or border materials, and operating a motor vehicle with an occupant under 16 not restrained by a seat belt.
Harding was ordered held without bond on May 13, 2026, and again after a bail review hearing held May 14, 2026, before Judge Patrick J. Devine. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for June 10, 2026, at 1 p.m. in Charles District Court.
According to the statement of probable cause filed by the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy reported seeing a black Honda Accord traveling west on Hawthorne Road in Indian Head at about 2:10 a.m. on May 13, 2026. The deputy wrote that the vehicle’s registration plate was partially obscured and that a database check showed the registration had been suspended since April 11, 2025. The deputy also alleged that the driver leaned over as if they were stuffing something down and that the vehicle swerved within its lane before the traffic stop was initiated near the entrance to Lower Wharf Road.
Court documents say the driver was identified as Harding. While Harding was retrieving his license and registration, the deputy reported seeing a white substance on the center console area and requested a K-9 officer to respond for a scan of the vehicle. When additional officers arrived and attempted to remove the occupants, Harding allegedly refused orders to exit the vehicle.
The statement of probable cause alleges that a sheriff’s sergeant tried to unlock the vehicle door, and Harding grabbed the sergeant’s arm and pulled it farther inside the vehicle. Harding then allegedly raised a wooden back scratcher toward the sergeant before putting the vehicle in drive and accelerating. The sergeant’s arm was wedged between the window and door, causing bruising and abrasions before the sergeant was able to break free.
The deputy wrote that he pursued the vehicle with his siren activated, and the vehicle stopped a short distance later. Officers conducted a felony stop, and Harding allegedly refused commands to exit for several minutes before eventually getting out. A front-seat passenger complied with officers and was placed in handcuffs. Harding continued not to follow commands, refused to place his hands behind his back, and had to be forced into handcuffs.
Officers reported finding Harding’s nine-year-old grandson asleep in the back seat under a blanket and not wearing a seat belt. The child was removed from the vehicle and placed in an agency vehicle. The reckless endangerment charge alleges Harding created a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury by fleeing from police with the unrestrained child in the vehicle.
During a search, officers found a plastic straw with white residue in Harding’s wallet. In the vehicle, investigators reported finding three keychain pill containers between the driver’s seat and center console. Court documents say the containers held large white rock-like substances, white powder, and a plastic bag with white powder, along with a folded piece of paper containing white powder. Officers also reported recovering three working Samsung cellphones from the driver-side area.
A field test using a TruNarc analyzer showed the presence of cocaine hydrochloride in both silver pill containers and in the folded paper, while the powder in the plastic bag tested positive for fentanyl. The suspected cocaine weighed about 4.1 grams, and the suspected fentanyl weighed about 0.2 grams, with an estimated street value of about $860, according to the statement of probable cause. The evidence was placed in the Charles County Sheriff’s Office controlled dangerous substance vault for analysis by Maryland State Police.
Harding was taken to Charles Regional Medical Center after complaining of injury, then cleared and transported to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Detention Center, where he was charged.
