Man enters Waldorf car dealership with firearm

On Feb. 27, Charles sheriff’s officers responded to numerous reports of an armed person at a car dealership in Waldorf.

The suspect, later identified as Rodriguez Cornelius Hagens, 43, was allegedly walking along Crain Highway with a gun before entering the Toyota dealership, according to charging documents.

Officers arrived on the scene around 9:30 a.m. that Tuesday morning and a witness pointed to Hagens, who was squatting in the area of several cubicle-styled desks, the documents say.

After placing Hagens in custody, officers learned that throughout the day he had allegedly attempted to enter another nearby establishment and pointed his firearm at vehicles.

In the morning, Hagens reportedly jumped out of a second-floor window in the room he was renting in the La Quinta Inn and went to the Renaissance Jewelers on Crain Highway in Waldorf, the documents said.

At the jewelry store, Hagens allegedly tried to gain access to the store by hitting the glass doors with his handgun. Employees refused to open the doors and Hagens left, according to charging documents.

Walking south on Crain Highway, Hagens allegedly pointed his firearm at several vehicles, attempting to make them stop. Failing to do so, he walked across the highway, entered the Toyota dealership and pointed his gun at a salesman, the documents say.

Hagens continued into the sales area while employees and customers fled the establishment or barricaded themselves into offices. Surveillance footage revealed that Hagens stashed the handgun in the drawer of a file cabinet, charging documents say.

Hagens reportedly told officers that he believed a man and a woman had been following him and came to his hotel room when he jumped out of the second-story window. Officers found no evidence of anyone chasing him, according to charging documents.

Upon searching Hagens, officers located suspected crack cocaine in his left front pocket. His hotel room at the La Quinta Inn was searched as a welfare check, and additional suspected crack cocaine was discovered, the document says.

Due to his prior criminal history, Hagens was not permitted to have a firearm.

Hagens faces gun charges along with as first- and second-degree assault, drug possession, disorderly conduct and reckless endangerment charges.