January 1998

As originally published on Wednesday, January 14, 1998

Scanner may have saved officer's life

Maryland

KATE LECKIE

WALKERSVILLE -- The police scanner Ted Brinkerhoff found under the Christmas tree may have saved Officer Edward Hanner's life.

On Monday, Officer Hanner was caught up in gunfire as he approached a man in a Golden Mile parking lot wanted in connection with a bank robbery reported across town just minutes before.

Mr. Brinkerhoff, 43, of Walkersville, said he was driving his daughter, Cindy, 17, to her job at Kmart when the drama unfolded.

"I was listening to the scanner when I heard police talking about the bank robbery. It's ironic because I'd just gotten the scanner for Christmas," he said.

"As I came toward the light at Patrick Street and (U.S.) 15, I heard officers giving a better description of the vehicle, a blue Plymouth-type car with no plates on the back.

I thought to myself, 'He's probably headed this way.' "

"The next thing I knew, I looked up and I saw this blue car coming my way -- and it didn't have a plate. I called 911 right away and then was switched to Frederick City Police," he said. Once Mr. Brinkerhoff spotted the vehicle, which turned out to be a Dodge Dynasty, he kept a close watch from a discreet distance away.

"The man wasn't driving faster than he should have been, and he used his turn signal before entering the parking lot (at the Frederick County Square shopping center)," Mr. Brinkerhoff said.

"He wasn't being stupid. He knew what he was doing. That's why he backed his car into the space the way he did to put the plate back on. And he

blended in with traffic at that time of the morning."

For 10 minutes, the Walkersville man kept a running dialogue going with police dispatcher Laura Kyle, telling her what the man was doing.

"He looked at me a few times, so I would change the ear I had the phone to," he said.

Then he saw the lone police officer arrive at the scene. About 15 seconds later, Mr. Brinkerhoff spotted the gun as the man pulled it from a bag in the car.

"I couldn't hear what was said, but I saw the man point it at the officer through the car. Shots were fired, and the man fell. (But) I don't believe the police officer hit him first."

Cindy Brinkerhoff, a junior at Walkersville High, said she was scared throughout the ordeal. "I was afraid something would go wrong. I didn't think this was something that could happen to us."

A nighttime delivery man for seven years, Mr. Brinkerhoff said he's accustomed to using his cellular phone to report suspicious things he sees during his travels along Frederick County roads.

"I'm used to being the third eye, keeping a look out for what's happening around me, noticing when I might see kids places where they shouldn't be. But I've never seen anything like this," he said.

"I think every car should have a police monitor and a cell phone," he said.

"I always figured it'd be a good thing to have in my van. Now I'm really glad Santa was listening."