An Elizabethtown man who exchanged gunfire with two law enforcement officers in February was sentenced up to 19 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to two counts of attempted murder and one count of assault on a law enforcement officer.
Dennis Windell Marshall, 30, entered an Alford plea in Bladen County Superior Court under an agreement with the state. An Alford plea allows a defendant to plead guilty because it’s in their best interest, but not admit guilt to the charges. Judge Mary Ann Tally accepted the agreement for Marshall to serve no less than 180 months with a maximum of 228 months in custody.
The incident began at 1 a.m. Feb. 13 when Bladen County Sheriff’s Deputy David A. Schmale Jr. initiated a traffic stop near the intersection of Poplar Street and King Street in front of Anderson’s Drug Store in Elizabethtown after observing Marshall’s Ford Explorer run a traffic light, according to a court summary.
During the stop, Schmale learned that Marshall was wanted in another jurisdiction for failing to appear on a possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver a Schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana). Schmale attempted to arrest Marshall, but a struggle ensued, according to authorities.
Marshall was able to free himself from Schmale and get a handgun by reaching through the driver’s side window of his Explorer. As the two fought over control of the weapon, Elizabethtown police Officer Blake Bryan appeared on scene. As Bryan was approaching the altercation, Marshall gained control of the weapon and fired at Bryan, just missing the officer, according to a court summary. Both officers immediately returned fire, striking Marshall multiple times.
In March, District Attorney Jon David announced that his office had determined that law enforcement officers were “justified” in the use of deadly force in shooting and injuring Marshall during the traffic stop.
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