A Hagerstown man wanted in both Maryland and Pennsylvania is now in custody after what police describe as a roughly 20-minute vehicle chase that wound through the city yesterday afternoon. The pursuit, which started on Frederick Street and ended on the south side of town, came to a close when officers arrested the driver, identified as 44-year-old Mark Anthony Taulton.
According to Tri-State Alert, the situation kicked off at about 2:50 p.m. after officers received word about an orange Kia Sportage traveling on Frederick Street. During the pursuit, the SUV reportedly hit an unmarked police vehicle. Hagerstown Police told the outlet the department relied on its Real Time Information Center (RTIC) and small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) to track the vehicle and coordinate responding units. Officers took Taulton into custody at the scene, and he was later taken to Washington County Central Booking.
How police tracked the vehicle
Real-time information centers bring together live camera feeds, license-plate-reader hits, and dispatch data so officers and supervisors can see what is happening as incidents unfold. RTIC staff can also coordinate drone deployments to capture aerial views, helping command staff direct units, secure perimeters, and boost situational awareness and officer safety.
As described in an Indeed job listing for a City of Aurora RTIC role, the work often involves watching multiple data feeds at once and operating small unmanned aircraft systems under FAA rules to support first responders on the ground.
Charges, warrants and next steps
Per Tri-State Alert, Taulton is charged with attempts to elude police and several driving-related offenses, along with additional counts that include false imprisonment, second-degree assault, and malicious destruction of property. The outlet reports that he was issued 31 payable traffic citations and that he has active warrants out of Washington County, Md., Cumberland County, Pa., Fulton County, Pa., and Frederick City, Md.
Hagerstown Police transported Taulton to the Washington County Sheriff’s Office central booking, where he was waiting to be seen by a Washington County district court commissioner, according to the same report.
What it means for local policing
The case highlights the growing pressure on smaller departments that are asked to juggle vehicle pursuits and warrants that cross county and state lines. Maryland State Police data, compiled in the 2023 Uniform Crime Report, place Hagerstown-area agencies among those handling significant arrest and call volumes across the state, a workload that can make coordinated tools like RTICs and drones especially appealing for safety and efficiency.
Hagerstown Police did not immediately offer additional details beyond what appeared in the department release cited by Tri-State Alert. This story will be updated as Washington County courts or law enforcement officials release more information.
