OCEAN CITY — Perhaps indicative of the current climate between some and law enforcement, a Salisbury man was arrested last weekend after threatening to kill a police officer during a routine traffic stop.
Around 3:20 p.m. last Friday, an OCPD officer was traveling south on Coastal Highway in the area of 49th Street when he observed a flatbed commercial truck pass him going 52 mph in a 35 mph zone. The officer activated his emergency lights and pulled over the commercial truck.
The OCPD officer identified the driver as Daniel Franklin Wilkerson, 71, of Salisbury.
The officer asked Wilkerson for his driver’s license, vehicle registration and his medical card, which is required of commercial truck drivers. According to police reports, Wilkerson referred to the medical card as his “crazy” card on multiple occasions and ultimately presented his license and medical card to the officer.
As the officer was reviewing the medical card, Wilkerson told police he had recently been pulled over by a state trooper who was wearing a bullet-proof vest. According to police reports, Wilkerson told the OCPD officer he didn’t know why the trooper was wearing a bullet-proof vest because getting shot and killed was part of the job.
At first, Wilkerson refused to present the vehicle registration, allegedly making statements to the officer about the two deputies who were recently killed in Maryland. According to police reports, Wilkerson told the officer the two deputies got what they deserved and it was just part of the job. The OCPD officer did not respond to Wilkerson’s comments and continued to ask for the vehicle registration. Wilkerson said the vehicle registration was on the opposite side of the truck cab and he would have to get out in order to retrieve it.
Wilkerson and the officer walked to the passenger side of the truck and the OCPD officer requested a back-up. Wilkerson opened the door and pulled himself into the cab while reaching for the glove compartment. While the officer was escorting Wilkerson to the opposite side of the truck, the suspect told the OCPD officer he should kill him and reached for the glove compartment allegedly stating, “I have my pistol and I’m going to kill you.”
At that point, the officer removed his own handgun and pointed it at Wilkerson. After being instructed several times to place his hands on top of the vehicle, Wilkerson eventually complied. Wilkerson was handcuffed and taken into custody. Wilkerson was ultimately arrested and charged with second-degree assault on a law enforcement officer. No handgun was recovered during a subsequent search of the vehicle.