A routine grocery run in Randallstown turned violent and nearly fatal, and now a Baltimore County jury has decided who was responsible.
Jurors on Thursday found 20-year-old Darius Wolfe guilty of armed carjacking, assault, and using a firearm during a crime for a 2024 attack that left a 66-year-old woman injured and her 87-year-old mother critically hurt. Prosecutors say the ordeal began as the younger woman unloaded groceries outside a home in Randallstown and ended when the suspects drove off in her vehicle while she clung to it.
According to CBS Baltimore, Wolfe, of Brooklyn, Maryland, was convicted today after a jury found him guilty on counts including armed carjacking, assault, and use of a firearm during a crime. He had pleaded not guilty. The outlet reports that WJZ reached out to the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, which provided Wolfe with counsel.
Arrests And Case Timeline
Baltimore County police say detectives arrested Wolfe and an 18-year-old in connection with the incident and charged both on Oct. 9, 2024, with armed carjacking, first-degree assault, and firearms-related offenses, according to a county police news release.
Officers were called around 10:10 p.m. to the 8200 block of Brattle Road after reports of an armed carjacking. The release states that one victim was struck by the fleeing vehicle and taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition, while a second victim who tried to help suffered non-life-threatening injuries. At that point, investigators said the case remained active.
What Police Say Happened
Court documents reviewed by CBS Baltimore say the Aug. 21, 2024, attack began when three masked men approached the 66-year-old as she unloaded groceries. As she tried to grab her belongings from her car, the men got inside.
According to those documents, the woman was dragged by the vehicle as one suspect drove off. In the chaos, her 87-year-old mother was run over.
Injuries And Medical Response
Court officials said the 66-year-old suffered a brain bleed, a fractured toe, and abrasions. Her mother was hospitalized with a fractured pelvis, a collapsed lung, fractured ribs, a broken ankle, and fractures to both legs.
The extent of the injuries has kept the case in the local spotlight and factored into prosecutors' decision to pursue serious charges.
How The Case Fits County Crime Trends
Public safety data maintained by Baltimore County show reported vehicle thefts have been trending down in recent years: 2,907 reported in 2025, 3,683 in 2024, and 4,295 in 2023, with 378 incidents logged so far in 2026.
County officials have pointed to targeted enforcement and task-force work as part of broader efforts to reduce auto theft and related violence, even as high-profile cases like this one continue to rattle residents.
Legal Stakes And What Comes Next
Under Maryland Criminal Law §3-405, carjacking and armed carjacking are classified as serious felonies. Armed carjacking and related firearm counts can carry maximum prison terms of up to 30 years, and firearm-use convictions can add separate, potentially consecutive penalties, according to Maryland court guidance and state legal summaries.
In cases like this, sentencing typically weighs factors such as the severity of the victims' injuries, the use of a weapon, and any prior criminal record.
Sentencing dates were not immediately available after the verdict. For now, the case is fueling renewed discussion about how to prevent car theft and carjackings in Baltimore County as prosecutors prepare for the next phase in court.
