Defendant Only Needs to Serve Time on Probation

Thank you for reading D.C. Witness.
Help us continue our mission into 2025 by donating to our end of year campaign.

Donate Now

On June 22, a defendant pleaded guilty to simple assault, possession of an unregistered firearm and attempt to carrying a pistol without a license.

Darien Clark, 26, threatened two women with a gun after being involved in a traffic accident with them on April 11, 2019. The gun was registered to him, but only in the state of Maryland. He was initially charged with assault with a dangerous weapon, leaving after colliding property damage and injury to an animal, possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of a large capacity ammunition feeding device, carrying a pistol without a license outside of a home or business and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence.

DC Superior Court Judge Danya Dayson gave Clark a 90-day prison sentence. She suspended all 90 days.

She also sentenced him to nine months of supervised probation. During his probation, Clark will not be allowed to possess any firearms or dangerous weapons.

“While there are frusturating situations in whcih people lose their temper and excercise poor judgment, certainly introducing a firearm during a fender bender is problematic and constitutes criminal behavior,” said Judge Dayson.

Clarke has taken responsibility for his actions. He does not have any other criminal convictions.

The judge and the prosecution also considered the fact that Clark was cooperative throughout the legal process, saying he was displayed a calm attitude after entering him home in the middle of a police search.