Resisting Arrest And Fleeing
Crim. Law § 9-408 and Transp. § 21-904 — up to 3 years for resisting a lawful arrest
A lawful arrest: up to 3 years. A person may not intentionally resist a lawful arrest, or interfere with someone the person has reason to know is a police officer making or attempting a lawful arrest or detention of another. It is a misdemeanor carrying up to 3 years, a $5,000 fine, or both, counted once per arrest however many officers are involved.
When a uniformed officer showing a badge, or an officer in a marked police vehicle, signals a driver to stop by hand, voice, emergency light or siren, the driver may not try to elude the officer by willfully failing to stop, fleeing on foot, or any other means.
| Fleeing or eluding | Penalty up to |
|---|---|
| Fleeing or eludingFirst offense | Penalty up to1 year, a $1,000 fine, or both |
| Fleeing or eludingSecond or later | Penalty up to2 years, a $1,000 fine, or both |
| Fleeing or eludingFailing to stop, resulting in bodily injury | Penalty up to3 years, a $5,000 fine, or both |
| Fleeing or eludingFailing to stop, resulting in a death | Penalty up to10 years, a $5,000 fine, or both |
Sources for this section (2)
- Md. Code, Crim. Law § 9-408 — Resisting or interfering with arrest
- Md. Code, Transp. § 21-904 — Fleeing or eluding police
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Maryland attorney.