Reuben Antonio Nwanze
Reuben Antonio Nwanze

LEXINGTON PARK, Md. — A Washington, D.C., man already on supervised probation for a domestic assault conviction is facing new charges after allegedly crashing his vehicle while under the influence and spitting on law enforcement officers, according to court records.

The incident began on Sept. 18, 2025, when deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a motor vehicle accident on Morning Dew Lane. According to court documents, upon arrival, a deputy observed a 2017 Toyota Corolla with extensive front-end damage resting in a grassy area. The vehicle’s front bumper was missing, and an open bottle of tequila was found in the center console.

Police made contact with the suspect, identified in court records as Reuben Antonio Nwanze, 35, of Washington, D.C., who was reportedly leaning against a police cruiser and unable to maintain his balance. The deputy noted that Nwanze had slurred speech and bloodshot eyes. After agreeing to perform standardized field sobriety tests, Nwanze allegedly exhibited six out of six clues for impairment during the horizontal gaze nystagmus test. He was subsequently unable or unwilling to complete the walk-and-turn and one-leg stand tests, refusing to maintain the instructional stance despite multiple warnings that noncompliance would constitute a refusal, according to the probable cause statement.

After Nwanze was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, his behavior allegedly escalated. While being processed, he reportedly became aggressive, refusing to sit on a bench at the sheriff’s office headquarters and ultimately refusing to submit to an Intoximeter breath test. Officials said that while being escorted back to a police vehicle, Nwanze allegedly spat on a sergeant. During transport to the St. Mary’s County Detention and Rehabilitation Center, he allegedly spat on a corporal. Once at the detention center, he was accused of spitting on a correctional officer during the booking process, according to charging documents.

This arrest also triggered a probation violation for Nwanze stemming from a prior domestic violence case, court records show. On Oct. 14, 2023, Nwanze was arrested in connection with an assault incident. On Feb. 13, 2024, he pleaded guilty to second-degree assault before Judge Karen Christy Holt Chesser and was sentenced to three years in jail, with all but 120 days suspended. He was then placed on three years of supervised probation.

For the Sept. 18 incident, Nwanze is charged with three counts of second-degree assault and one count of resisting or interfering with an arrest. Under Maryland Criminal Law § 3-203, second-degree assault is a misdemeanor that carries a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment and/or a fine of $2,500 if convicted. Under Maryland criminal law, resisting arrest is a misdemeanor carrying a maximum penalty of three years imprisonment and/or a fine of $5,000 if convicted.

Nwanze was released on a $1,500 unsecured personal bond. He is scheduled to appear in St. Mary’s County District Court on Nov. 4, 2025, for hearings on the probation violation and the new charges.


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2 Comments

  1. How gross. Spits on 3 law enforcement officers and then released. He should have been transported to the dentist for a new set of teeth.

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