FREDERICK, MD – A man at the center of a high-speed, multi-state pursuit that included gunfire at police and a chaotic foot chase through a residential area was sentenced Tuesday to decades behind bars, closing a case that stretched back more than five years. The courtroom outcome marks the final chapter of a violent 2020 incident that crossed state lines and involved multiple law enforcement agencies.
David Robert Leatherman, 48, of Hanover, Pennsylvania, was sentenced by Frederick County Circuit Court Judge Julia Martz-Fisher to 50 years in prison, with 35 years active to serve in the Maryland Department of Corrections for two counts of first-degree assault. The sentence follows an Alford plea entered November 7, 2025, and will run consecutively to an existing 8- to 16-year sentence in Pennsylvania for aggravated assault.
Multi-state pursuit escalated with shots fired at police
The charges stem from October 19, 2020, when Leatherman, wanted for attempted murder in York County, Pennsylvania, fled an attempted traffic stop by Cumberland Township Police while driving a stolen white 2007 Chevrolet 2500 pickup truck. The pursuit crossed into Frederick County at speeds exceeding 120 miles per hour, according to officials.
During the chase, Leatherman drove across roadways, fields, and residential properties before the situation escalated along Route 15 North. Authorities said Leatherman fired multiple shots at Cumberland Township Police Chief Don Boehs after the chief positioned his vehicle to slow the pursuit. The chief was not injured, though his patrol vehicle was disabled.
Moments later, Leatherman drove directly toward Pennsylvania State Trooper Andrew Haun, who was deploying a tire deflation device. The trooper avoided being struck. The fleeing vehicle was eventually disabled near the Route 140 intersection after stop sticks were deployed.
Foot pursuit ends in arrest, accomplice killed
After abandoning the truck, Leatherman fled on foot toward 47 Park Drive, running toward two juvenile bystanders before being tackled by an officer following a foot pursuit down an embankment. His passenger, Bryan Selmer, fled toward downtown Emmitsburg and was later shot and killed by police after taking what officials described as a shooter’s stance near a Sunoco station on Silo Hill Road.
Investigators recovered a loaded Glock 22 .40 caliber handgun discarded near the disabled truck.
During sentencing, Judge Martz-Fisher addressed Leatherman directly, stating, “I don’t believe you have any remorse. I see no basis upon which you are safe in our community.”
Frederick County State’s Attorney Charlie Smith said, “Leatherman is a menace to society. He had utter disregard for police, citizens, and even children who were playing in the area. He intentionally jeopardized their safety in his effort to avoid taking responsibility for his crimes. Fortunately, he is now responsible for serving 35 years in prison.”
Upon release, Leatherman will serve five years of supervised probation, including conditions prohibiting contact with the Pennsylvania State Trooper and the former police chief involved in the incident.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Counsel Ricky Lewis and Assistant State’s Attorney Samantha Slattery, with coordination among multiple agencies including Cumberland Township Police Department, Pennsylvania State Police, Liberty Township Police, Penn Township Police Department, and the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office.
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