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A Maryland man has been charged with murder after reportedly running over an elderly woman at a Home Depot parking lot with a forklift stolen from Lowe’s, police say.
Bryce Caleb Timothy Brown allegedly broke into a Waldorf Lowe’s early Sunday morning. There, he stole a forklift and drove it off the premises, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
The 20-year-old drove the forklift to a nearby Home Depot parking lot before ramming it into 73-year-old Gloristine Pinkney’s parked car.
Meanwhile, Pinkney, asleep in her vehicle, quickly jumped out of the car after it was struck and began fleeing from the forklift on foot, police say.
Authorities say Brown then ran over the woman before stealing her car and fleeing the scene.
“This is absolutely a tragic story. It’s bizarre. We don’t know why the suspect did this, we’re still trying to figure that out. I don’t know if we’ll ever get an answer. The victim wasn’t doing anything but sleeping in her vehicle,” Charles County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Diane Richardson told WRC-TV.
As police were called to the Lowe’s robbery, they discovered Pinkney’s body trapped underneath the forklift at the nearby Home Depot.
She was pronounced dead at the scene, according to authorities.
However, Brown and Pinkney did not know each other, police say. A motive for the crime remains unknown as of Wednesday (Jul. 5).
“This appears to be a random attack,” Richardson said.
Meanwhile, cops eventually identified Brown as a suspect “after pursuing leads,” per the sheriff’s office. Pinkney’s car was located in the vicinity of Brown’s home.
Police arrested him later on the same day of the incident, police said.
Police charged Brown with first-degree murder, second-degree murder, assault, theft, and other “related charges.”
Meanwhile, he remains held without bond at the Charles County Detention Center.
This is a developing story. Be sure to check in with The Shade Room for more updates as they come.
Police urge anyone with information about this crime or others to contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS.
Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com.
