Khmari Michael Ruffin, 24, of Brandywine faces multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after leading Charles County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a brief high-speed chase that ended in a single-vehicle crash with two young children in the car on October 30, 2025. The incident unfolded around 8:34 p.m. near Crain Highway and Berry Road in Waldorf, where deputies spotted a Jaguar displaying stolen registration plates following an alert from automated license plate readers.
Ruffin refused to yield and accelerated northbound into Prince George’s County, prompting deputies to terminate the pursuit per department policy on high-risk chases. As officers executed a U-turn to return to Charles County jurisdiction, they encountered the wrecked Jaguar near Cedarville Road. Ruffin had exited the vehicle and was attempting to access an unattended car at a nearby convenience store gas pump while two children, both under age six, remained unsecured inside the Jaguar without required car seats.
Deputies secured the children without injury and arrested Ruffin without further incident. A vehicle search uncovered a .357 caliber handgun with its serial number filed off, a substantial amount of cannabis packaged in a manner indicative of distribution, and related paraphernalia. The Jaguar itself lacked valid registration, and the plates were confirmed stolen from another vehicle.
Prince George’s County Police Department officers assisted at the scene and managed a secondary collision involving a Charles County deputy’s vehicle en route. Ruffin was booked into the Charles County Detention Center on charges including second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer for fleeing and eluding, illegal possession of a regulated firearm, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, theft of motor vehicle registration plates under $500, possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, and second-degree child neglect. The children were released to a relative’s custody pending further investigation.
Ruffin’s bond review occurred Monday, November 3, 2025, in Charles County District Court, case D-042-CR-25-002018.
Under Maryland law, fleeing and eluding a police officer constitutes a misdemeanor for a first offense, carrying up to one year in jail and a $1,000 fine, though enhancements apply if the flight endangers others, such as passengers or bystanders. In this case, the presence of unsecured minors elevates the risk factor, aligning with statutes that treat such actions as reckless endangerment. Repeat offenses can extend imprisonment to three years.
The firearm charges stem from Maryland’s strict regulations on regulated firearms, which require serial numbers for traceability. Possession of a handgun with an altered or removed serial number is a misdemeanor punishable by up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine, classified as a “ghost gun” precursor under recent amendments effective March 2023. Additionally, illegal possession of a regulated firearm by a prohibited person or without proper licensing adds felony weight, with penalties up to five years incarceration and $1,000 fines for initial violations.
Drug-related counts fall under possession with intent to distribute cannabis, a felony in Maryland despite recreational legalization for adults 21 and older since July 2023. For quantities under 50 pounds suggesting distribution — evidenced by packaging and paraphernalia — penalties include up to five years in prison and $15,000 in fines. Maryland’s Cannabis Reform Act decriminalized small personal amounts but maintains harsh measures for commercial-scale operations to curb black-market activity.
Child neglect charges, specifically second-degree, arise from exposing minors to substantial risk of harm, such as riding unrestrained during a high-speed flight. This misdemeanor carries up to five years in prison or a $5,000 fine, or both, emphasizing Maryland’s priority on child safety in vehicles. State law mandates car seats for children under eight years old or weighing less than 65 pounds, with violations compounding endangerment claims. The Charles County Department of Social Services was notified, though no immediate removal proceedings were detailed.
Charles County Sheriff’s Office policy on vehicle pursuits, outlined in its administrative manual, prioritizes public safety by limiting high-speed engagements. Deputies must weigh factors like traffic density, suspect danger level, and potential harm before continuing; in this instance, the chase lasted under two minutes before termination. Such protocols, reviewed annually, reflect broader Southern Maryland trends where pursuits dropped 15 percent from 2022 to 2023 amid statewide reforms under the 2021 Justice Reinvestment Act, which mandates data collection on traffic stops.
