By Guy Leonard, County Times
LEONARDTOWN, Md.—An alleged serial burglar captured by detectives with the St. Mary’s County Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) faces two counts of attempted murder for allegedly using his getaway vehicle to ram a sheriff’s office vehicle during police attempts to arrest him.
According to police charging documents, BCI Det. Antonio Malaspina observed the suspect, Guy Vivian Butler, 42, driving a stolen vehicle Oct. 26 at the intersection of Chancellors Run Road and Great Mills Road and attempted to stop the suspect.
It was then, charging documents allege, that Butler refused to stop and led sheriff’s deputies and Maryland State Police on a high speed pursuit, sometimes topping speeds of 90 miles an hour on slick, wet roads.
The suspect allegedly ran other motorists off the road in order to escape, charging documents state, and eventually made his way to the First Colony Shopping Center where he sped through at about 50 miles an hour.
Citizens had to dodge the suspect’s vehicle, charging documents allege, to avoid being struck.
Butler continued to flee police at a high rate of speed, charging documents allege, for about 15 more miles and struck a sheriff’s patrol car operated by Deputy Jean Vezzosi in an attempt to escape. Deputy Anthony Wipkey was also in the vehicle allegedly struck by Butler in the escape attempt.
The chase ended shortly after Butler allegedly struck the sheriff’s cruiser when he lost control of the van he was driving and struck a light pole near the intersection of Great Mills Road and Saratoga Drive in Lexington Park.
Charging documents also allege that Butler kicked Malaspina in the chest when police moved in to detain Butler. That resulted in a charge of second-degree assault against Butler.
BCI detectives have already charged Butler with five separate counts of burglary but that might not be the end of it.
“They’re attempting to get information to link him to other burglaries if they can,” said Sgt. Steve Hall, spokesman for the sheriff’s office, adding that Butler has served time in prison before.
“He definitely did not want to go back to prison,” Hall said.
BCI detectives allege in charging documents that Butler was responsible for burglaries in Leonardtown, Bushwood, Hollywood, Callaway and Drayden. Police allege that Butler’s first burglary here took place Sept. 18 in Leonardtown when he allegedly broke into a home and stole items that had a value of about $8,000. Butler then went to Prince George’s County to pawn item’s he allegedly stole for cash and was positively identified by store clerks, charging documents allege, as the one who sold the stolen goods.
Other items allegedly stolen by Butler included cash money, collector coins, a handgun, digital camera and even a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle which he is alleged to have driven and abandoned in Charles County.
Butler is also alleged to have stolen the van used in the Oct. 26 chase in Charles County in the same vicinity where the stolen motorcycle was abandoned.
Each count of first-degree burglary Butler faces carries a possible 20 years in prison; the two charges of attempted murder each carry a possible life sentence as well.
The assault charge carries a possible 10 years in prison.
Butler remains confined at the St. Mary’s County Detention Center, according to online court documents, and awaits a preliminary court hearing on the charges against him Nov. 28.