Man cleared of murder charge after arrest led to Dundalk police shooting

Prosecutors have cleared a man whose arrest last week on a murder charge ended with Baltimore County Police shooting another man.

Brian Rodriguez, 41, was released Thursday from Baltimore County Detention Center, Baltimore

County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger confirmed.

“The charges were dropped based upon the finding of exculpatory evidence that he was not involved,” Shellenberger said Thursday night. “This evidence was discovered after his arrest.”

Rodriguez had been accused of conspiring with five others in the February 2021 killing of Rosario “Tony” Valenti, 45, outside Papa’s Smokehouse Saloon in Dundalk.

The five who remain charged are Edward Glaze, 39; Brandon Vogelsang, 40; Jeffrey Hamrick, 36; Eugene Epkins, 39; and Jessica Cruz, 41.

Baltimore County Police were trying to arrest Rodriguez on April 14 in Dundalk. A driver, Shane Radomski, 19, was caught up in the process and was shot by detectives.

Four officers fired at Radomski, who was driving an Infiniti sedan, after they said it rammed into a police department car, according to the county police. The driver was still in the hospital as of Friday, police said.

Police, citing department policy, identified the four detectives who shot at Radomski by their first initial and last name. The officers were identified as G. Depew, with 16 years of service; R. Johnson, 33 years of service; B. Lange, 15 years of service; and J. Trenary, 15 years of service.

Baltimore County Police haven’t released the condition of the person shot.

But Shellenberger confirmed Thursday that Radomski could face charges.

“Charges are pending,” he said. “The evidence is still being reviewed.”