Flavio Cesar Lanuza, the suspect who allegedly stole an MDOTSHA tow truck and led police on a chase through Prince George’s County and Montgomery County, pleaded guilty to multiple charges on Thursday.
According to the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, “Today in the Circuit Court for Montgomery County, MD, before the Honorable Sharon Burrell, defendant, Flavio Lanuza, 27, of Laurel, pleaded guilty to Second-Degree Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer, Fleeing and Eluding Marked Police Vehicle by Failing to Stop Vehicle Resulting in Bodily Injury, and eleven counts of Failure to Return and Remain at the Scene of an Accident. Lanuza faces up to 14 years and 10 months in prison. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for December 12, 2024.
The defendant also has charges pending in Prince George’s County, MD. It all stems from an incident on February 16, 2024, when Lanuza led police on a chase that lasted more than half an hour. In Montgomery County, he struck two Maryland State Police vehicles, injuring one State Trooper. He also struck eleven civilian vehicles.
Assistant State’s Attorneys Joshua Wesnidge and Mary Herdman are prosecuting this matter.”
According to NBC4, a truck driver was responding to a call for assistance in Beltsville, MD when the vehicle was carjacked by Lanuza.