Authorities in Charles County have charged a local man following a road rage incident that escalated into gunfire, leaving one driver with minor injuries. Robert Derek Simms, 36, of Waldorf, faces multiple counts after allegedly firing shots from a motorcycle at another vehicle stopped at a traffic light. The event unfolded on July 10, 2025, at the intersection of Billingsley Road and Middletown Road in White Plains, a busy crossroads familiar to many Southern Maryland commuters for its proximity to shopping centers and residential neighborhoods.
Deputies from the Charles County Sheriff’s Office responded promptly after the victim dialed 911 to report the shooting. The victim described a prior altercation with the motorcyclist, which culminated in several rounds being fired, shattering the car’s windows and causing superficial wounds from glass shards. Officers arrived to find the victim shaken but able to provide details that launched an immediate investigation by the Criminal Investigations Division. Detectives pieced together evidence, including surveillance footage from nearby cameras, which helped identify Simms as the suspect.
Further scrutiny revealed Simms was legally barred from owning firearms due to a prior felony assault conviction. On August 5, 2025, investigators executed a search warrant at his Waldorf residence, uncovering a loaded 9mm handgun with an obliterated serial number and clothing matching the shooter’s description from witness accounts. Simms was arrested on-site and transported to the Charles County Detention Center. A judge ordered him held without bond during an August 14, 2025, hearing, citing the severity of the charges and public safety concerns. His preliminary hearing is scheduled for September 3, 2025.
The charges against Simms include first-degree assault, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, possession of a regulated firearm with an obliterated serial number, and related offenses, totaling about a dozen counts. In Maryland, first-degree assault carries a potential penalty of up to 25 years in prison, while firearm possession by a prohibited individual can add five to 15 years, depending on circumstances. Obliterating a serial number on a gun is a misdemeanor punishable by up to three years, but it often compounds with felony charges in cases like this. The legal process begins with the preliminary hearing, where prosecutors must show probable cause, followed by possible indictment and trial in Charles County Circuit Court.
State initiatives, such as the Maryland Highway Safety Office’s Zero Deaths campaign, aim to curb aggressive driving through education and enforcement. As of mid-August 2025, Maryland has recorded 276 traffic fatalities, many tied to speed and aggression. Officials urge drivers to report erratic behavior via 911 or the #77 non-emergency line, and programs like Charles County Crime Solvers offer up to $1,000 rewards for tips leading to arrests. Anonymous submissions can be made at charlescountycrimesolvers.com or via the P3Tips app.
Detective Gregory leads the ongoing investigation into this Charles County road rage shooting. Anyone with information should contact him at the sheriff’s office.
