Garraway Pleads Guilty; Committed to Secure Mental Health Facility

On May 8, 2023, Ronald Joseph Garraway, 60, of Chesapeake Beach, pleaded guilty to four charges in connection with a barricade situation that occurred last August.  The charges included first and second degree assault and use of a firearm.

 

On August 19, 2022, the Calvert County Circuit Court issued an order directing the Sheriff’s Office to take Garraway into custody for a mental health examination.  Friends and relatives had told the Court that Garraway was acting in a bizarre fashion.  When deputies arrived at Garraway’s house, he refused to leave and began making threats.  Deputies evacuated the neighborhood and attempted to get Garraway to surrender.  Tear gas was deployed and deputies eventually entered the residence.  As they began to ascend the stairway to Garraway’s location, he fired shots at them.  Garraway later came down the stairway armed with a handgun, refused commands to drop the weapon, and was shot in the shoulder.  He was taken into custody and transported to the hospital for treatment.

 

Garraway was examined by a psychologist employed by the Maryland State Department of Health and found to be psychotic and delusional.  The psychologist determined that at the time of the offense Garraway was not criminally responsible for his actions.

 

Under Maryland law, Garraway was committed to the Department of Health for placement in a secure mental health facility.  He will remain in that facility until it is determined that he no longer poses a danger to himself or others.  Before release, the State is entitled to a hearing before the Court to determine whether Garraway should continue to be committed.