LEONARDTOWN, Md. — Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office arrested Paige Taylor Hartness, 34, of Lexington Park, on December 8, 2025, executing a warrant tied to an October 23, 2025, confrontation where she pointed a handgun at officers during a welfare check, leading to a nonfatal shooting. The arrest followed an investigation into the evening incident at a medical facility parking lot, where two deputies fired their service weapons after Hartness raised the firearm toward them. Hartness faces 10 charges, including first-degree assault and use of a firearm in a felony, and remains held without bond at the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown.
The sequence began at 7:52 p.m. on October 23, 2025, when deputies responded to a residence in the 46000 block of Valley Drive in Lexington Park. A male roommate reported that Hartness, his housemate, had left the home with his semiautomatic handgun, raising concerns for her safety and that of others in the community. Deputies initiated a search of the surrounding area, a blend of residential neighborhoods and commercial sites near the Patuxent River Naval Air Station, where Lexington Park’s population of about 30,000 residents navigates daily life amid naval operations and local businesses.
By 9:11 p.m., deputies located Hartness seated inside a parked vehicle outside the MedStar Health Urgent Care facility at 45870 East Run Drive. The 3,300-square-foot center, which opened in July 2025 and features eight exam rooms and on-site imaging, sits in a busy commercial zone accessible to those seeking prompt medical care. Initial attempts at verbal communication proved unsuccessful, as Hartness exited the vehicle and fled on foot across the parking lot. The pursuit lasted minutes, ending in a confrontation where, at 9:19 p.m., Hartness raised the handgun toward the deputies.
Corporal Tyler Payne, with nine years and 11 months of service, and Deputy Ian Flaherty, with one year and eight months, discharged their agency-issued firearms, striking Hartness at least once in non-life-threatening injuries. The deputies immediately rendered aid, applying compression and monitoring her condition until emergency medical services arrived. MedStar Aviation airlifted Hartness to a regional trauma center for evaluation and surgery. As of October 24, 2025, she remained in stable condition, with no injuries reported among the deputies or any bystanders.
Investigators recovered the semiautomatic handgun at the scene, later determined to be stolen, valued between $100 and $1,500. The weapon’s theft formed one basis for the charges. Following the shooting, both deputies were placed on paid administrative leave, standard protocol for the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office in officer-involved incidents. The Criminal Investigations Division launched a probe, incorporating body camera footage, witness statements, and ballistic analysis. Separately, the Office of Professional Responsibility conducted an administrative review to assess compliance with agency policies.
Maryland’s Independent Investigations Division, part of the Office of the Attorney General and established under 2021 police reform legislation, received notification as required for near-fatal shootings. Expanded in October 2023 to handle such cases, the division reviewed the circumstances but declined to assume control, citing Hartness’s stable condition and the nonfatal outcome. This left the full investigation with local authorities. Detectives urged witnesses to come forward, providing contact details for Detective David Lawrence at 301-475-4200, extension 8130, or via email at David.Lawrence@stmaryscountymd.gov.
The arrest warrant, issued on October 24, 2025, one day after the shooting, remained unserved for nearly two months as Hartness recovered from her injuries. On December 8, 2025, deputies took her into custody without further incident. During her initial court appearance that day in St. Mary’s District Court, a judge set no bond, reflecting the severity of the charges. A bail review hearing is scheduled for December 9, 2025, with a preliminary hearing set for January 5, 2026. Hartness’s detention at the Leonardtown facility, which houses inmates awaiting trial or sentencing, underscores the ongoing judicial process in St. Mary’s County, where the court system handles a range of felony and misdemeanor cases annually.
Among the 10 counts against Hartness are first-degree assault, a felony carrying potential penalties of up to 25 years in prison under Maryland law, for actions creating a substantial risk of death or serious physical injury. Second-degree assault follows as a lesser but still serious charge, often linked to intentional harm without deadly outcomes. The use of a firearm in the commission of a felony or crime of violence elevates the case, as Maryland statutes impose mandatory minimum sentences of five years for such enhancements, separate from the underlying offense. Reckless endangerment addresses the broader threat posed during the foot chase, while two counts each of possessing a loaded handgun on her person and in the vehicle violate state restrictions on concealed carry without permits.
Additional charges include possession of a stolen regulated firearm, treating the handgun as a controlled item under Maryland’s strict gun laws, and theft valued between $100 and $1,500, directly tied to the roommate’s report. These offenses fall under Title 4 of the Criminal Law Article in the Maryland Code, which outlines firearm regulations and theft thresholds. Prosecutors must prove intent and circumstances beyond a reasonable doubt, drawing on evidence like the recovered weapon and video recordings.
St. Mary’s County’s approach to such incidents reflects broader state protocols shaped by recent reforms. Senate Bill 190, enacted in 2024, mandates in-person responses to welfare checks with detailed documentation, aiming to balance community safety with individual rights. The sheriff’s office policy directive 300 governs use of force, requiring it to be reasonable, necessary, and proportional, with deadly force reserved for imminent threats of death or grave harm. Deputies receive annual training on de-escalation, particularly in mental health scenarios, which factor into about 20 percent of welfare calls statewide. This event marks the second nonfatal officer-involved shooting in the county within the past year, following a July 2025 incident in California, prompting reviews of response strategies in high-risk situations.
