A chaotic wrong-way chase on I-95 that left a Harford County Sheriff's lieutenant critically injured will cost a Yonkers man the next four decades in prison. Court officials said the 21-year-old must serve 20 years before he can even think about parole. The case started with a routine traffic stop in Churchville in August 2025 and spiraled into a high-speed, wrong-way run on the interstate that shut down traffic and triggered a multi-state manhunt.
Sentence and plea
Juan Yahir Quiroz Manzueta, 21, pleaded guilty to attempted murder, burglary, evading police, and failing to stop at a crash. A judge then handed down a 40-year sentence and ordered that he serve half of it before becoming eligible for parole, according to CBS Baltimore. Prosecutors said the plea brings to a close a case that drew national attention after the August pursuit shut down portions of I-95.
How the chase unfolded
According to WMAR-2 News, the chase began around 11:25 a.m. on Aug. 26, 2025, when a deputy tried to pull over a Penske box truck near Calvary Road and Snake Lane in Churchville. Investigators said the truck hit a U.S. Mail vehicle and several other cars before jumping onto I-95 southbound and barreling the wrong way. Deputies tried spike strips and a PIT maneuver in an effort to stop it, and the truck was ultimately forced off the roadway.
A deputy's injuries and recovery
Lieutenant Robert Burgess was hit while trying to deploy stop sticks and was thrown about 65 feet. He was airlifted to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma with a severe concussion, broken ribs, a punctured lung, and other injuries that required surgeons to install nine metal plates, court officials said in coverage of the sentencing. "He will likely deal with the lasting effects of the injuries for the rest of his life," Harford County State's Attorney Alison Healey said, according to CBS Baltimore. Prosecutors noted that Burgess returned to duty in early February.
Arrest and stolen cooking oil
Investigators said they found containers of used cooking oil inside the truck and later tied the theft to an Applebee's in Aberdeen. According to the sheriff's office, they tracked the vehicle through Penske GPS data and a smashed cellphone, which led them to an apartment in New Rochelle, N.Y. Manzueta was arrested there by U.S. Marshals and extradited to Maryland to face charges, the Harford County Sheriff's Office said in a news release (Harford County Sheriff's Office).
Legal consequences
Manzueta was indicted by a Harford County grand jury in November 2025 on charges including attempted first-degree murder, second-degree burglary, and hit-and-run causing serious bodily injury, according to a press release from the Harford County State's Attorney. His May plea and sentence resolved those Harford County counts. Prosecutors have said additional legal steps tied to alleged thefts in other states could follow.
Why it matters locally
Sheriff Jeff Gahler and local reporters have pointed out that used cooking oil has quietly become a hot commodity because of its resale value, and that crimes connected to that black market can turn dangerous fast when suspects run from police, according to WMAR-2 News. The lengthy sentence is the latest example in Harford County of prosecutors seeking stiff penalties when officers are gravely injured on duty.
Officials said the case took months of investigation and coordination across jurisdictions, and the outcome highlights both the risks officers face during pursuits and the reach of multi-agency work to bring suspects to court.
