Washington County man pleads in drug-related case where two sheriff's vehicles damaged

A Maugansville-area man received a plea deal Friday related to a March 2023 collision in downtown Hagerstown that damaged three parked vehicles, including two belonging to the Washington County Sheriff's Office.

The parked vehicles were not occupied during the March 8, 2023, incident, which occurred around 8:40 a.m. in the first block of Summit Avenue, in front of the Washington County Courthouse.

Christian Edward Cooker, 39, pleaded guilty in Washington County Circuit Court on Friday to driving while impaired by a controlled dangerous substance and to possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, according to court records. Cooker had a Hedgesville, W.Va., address at the time of the incident, but had a Maugansville-area address on a June court document.

Charges dropped as part of the plea deal include reckless driving, negligent driving and other drug and traffic charges.

Defense attorney David Harbin told The Herald-Mail on Monday that Cooker is a recovering addict and has already completed an inpatient drug program. Cooker is continuing with an after-care program, checking in with the drug treatment program.

"I'm proud of his efforts so far," Harbin said.

While Cooker pleaded guilty to the drug charge, Harbin said Cooker is not a drug dealer "by any stretch of the imagination." The charging language is about possession of an illegal drug in "sufficient quantity" to indicate an intent to distribute, Harbin said.

Harbin also said he was grateful that Washington County has a drug court program for people in Cooker's position.

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Cooker is on pre-sentence supervision through drug court. That means Cooker will be closely supervised, have regular drug tests and have routine court appearances, Harbin said.

If Cooker does well with the drug court program, he might receive a suspended sentence or probation before judgment, Harbin said.

Cooker has credit for 30 days time served, according to court records.

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A master deputy working at the courthouse heard a collision and exited the courthouse to see his marked cruiser had been pushed forward at least 20 feet and a blue Ford pickup was backing away from the cruiser with its tires spinning, according to charging documents.

The F-250 pickup had heavy front-end damage and the cruiser had damage to the rear of the driver's side. The cruiser had been pushed forward into a dark blue Dodge Durango, which had been pushed into an unmarked sheriff's office vehicle, documents state.

The pickup driver did not immediately stop when the master deputy ordered him to, but eventually did. As he tried to leave on foot, the driver was unsteady and fell into his truck, charging documents state. Cooker was taken to Meritus Medical Center for evaluation and possible drug intoxication as he had been nodding off and slurring his words.

Another master deputy found an open lunch box in the pickup truck containing syringes and drugs. The drugs included 70 pills of suspected fentanyl, charging documents state.

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Cooker told an investigator he was on his way to work downtown and had taken his Suboxone and another medication that morning.

At the hospital, Cooker also allegedly said he'd gone around a slowing truck, merging into the slow lane. Then, to get around another vehicle that had slowed to a stop, he said he decided to drive into the mud and median, according to charging documents. Cooker was informed there was no median and he was not on a two-lane road.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Mail: Washington County man pleads in drug-related case where two sheriff's vehicles damaged