Police ID officers involved in shooting of Hurlock man

Police have identified the suspect in a Saturday night chase across state lines that ended with the suspect being shot by two law enforcement officers.

Troy Lee Short, 31 of Hurlock, Maryland, is in critical but stable condition at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware, said Master Cpl. Gary Fournier, a Delaware State Police spokesman.

It is not known at this time if Short was under the influence of any controlled substances, Fournier said.

Short evaded Deputy Anthony Rhode of the Worcester County Sheriff's Office, who tried to initiate a traffic stop in Ocean City at 8:10 p.m. Saturday after Short was seen driving erratically.

Multiple agencies became involved in the chase as well as First Class Nickolas Harrington, of the Ocean View Police Department, as Short crossed the Delaware state line.

During the pursuit, Short crashed his vehicle and proceeded to steal and then abandon two other vehicles before trying to hit Rhode and Harrington with a third vehicle near Ocean View.

MORE: Suspect shot, officer hurt, after pursuit in Ocean View

Police periodically lost track of Short, but were able to locate him from the abandoned stolen vehicles with help from K-9 units. Officers responded to a burglary in Bishopville, Maryland, where Short fled in a black Infinity, police said.

Harrington and Rhode were pursuing a black Infinity sports utility vehicle as it drove down Burbage Road and crossed over Windmill Drive onto Pine Grove Lane, which is a dead end street, police said.

Short then came to a stop at the end of the road and accelerated backward at a high speed directly into the front of Harrington's marked patrol vehicle, pushing it off the roadway, police said. Short continued backing at a high rate of speed almost striking Rhode's sheriff's vehicle and smashed into a mailbox, stopping momentarily.

Police said Short then drove the SUV into an empty residential lot, then turned around and began driving toward Rhode, who was standing outside his vehicle in the driveway of the lot. Harrington was able to exit his patrol vehicle and run up to where Rhode was standing as the SUV accelerated toward the two law enforcement officers, who were yelling commands to stop.

Harrington and Rhode fired multiple rounds at the Infinity before the driver came to a stop, police said.

Police removed Short from the SUV and administered first aid until emergency medical services could transport him to Christiana.

Delaware State Police detectives are still working with the state attorney general's office, but possible charges may include assault on a police officer, reckless endangerment, possession of a deadly weapon and multiple moving citations in both states, Fournier sad.

The Ocean View Police Department and Worcester County Sheriff's Office released the names of the officers on Monday.

READ MORE: Trooper shoots suspect in 4-hour Willards standoff

Harrington, a five-year veteran, was transported to Beebe Hospital where he was treated and released with non-life-threatening injuries he sustained during the incident, police said. Rhode, a nine-year veteran, was uninjured in the incident.

Records located on the Maryland Judiciary Case Search show Short has a lengthy history of interactions with the state's criminal justice system in Dorchester County. Short was first charged in 2008 in Dorchester County District Court with providing false statements to police, although online records do not show how the case was decided.

In 2012, records show Short pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and theft between $10,000 and $100,000 in value. A Dorchester County judge sentenced him to serve eight years in prison on the charges, followed by five years of probation. DelmarvaNow.com is still working to confirm Short's parole date.

Short entered an Alford Plea in February 2016 to theft between $1,000 and $10,000 in value, in exchange for prosecutors dropping another theft and fourth-degree burglary charge, according to case search records. He was sentenced to serve 10 years in prison, with all but three months and 12 days suspended.

Staff reporter Henry Culvyhouse contributed to this report.