WILMINGTON — Former Wilmington police officer Darryl Warren, terminated as of Monday, remains in the New Hanover County Detention Center under a $100,000 secured bond after his first court appearance.
READ MORE: WPD officer faces new charges, including assault with intent to kill
“We believe he intended to kill the victim,” assistant district attorney for the state Kristi Severo told Judge R. Russell Davis, who denied a protective order against Warren sought by his ex-wife in a separate case last year.
Davis was hearing Warren’s new charges, filed Sunday, July 30, for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill and assault on a female. Warren was charged last week with driving while impaired and reckless driving for attempting to run over a female, who was a passenger in his Toyota Tundra before exiting on foot. Severo confirmed the victim is his girlfriend and the two live together.
She requested a $1 million bond, citing Warren “a threat to himself, the community,” as well as the victim, her five children, and Warren’s ex-wife and two children.
(Port City Daily withholds the names of domestic violence victims for safety reasons.)
Warren was notified by the magistrate Monday he can have no contact with the victim.
Severo explained agent Kensington of the State Bureau of Investigation, charged with overseeing the investigation, “made sure the defendant was charged properly.”
Warren, donning an inmate’s jumpsuit and appearing somber and quiet, stood in front of Judge Davis at the New Hanover County courthouse while Severo recalled the timeline of events leading up to the arrest.
She said the couple had been arguing the night before, loudly enough the children in the house tried to intervene.
Evidently, the girlfriend was then attempting to pack up her stuff and leave but didn’t. The next day the couple was in Warren’s truck arguing over finances involving repairing a vehicle owned by the girlfriend, which the defendant admitted to.
Severo said the victim got out of the car, ran across two lanes of traffic near Costco on Gingerwood Drive; Warren waited for the light to turn green then found her in the Best Western parking lot.
“He aims toward her, striking her, throws her in the air,” Severo said, basing her telling of the incident on video footage of the scene.
She said as the victim was on the ground, Warren leaned over to talk to her. He then got back in his truck, which was stuck in a bush after hitting a tree.
“If he wasn’t stuck, he would have run her over a second time,” Severo said. “Witnesses believe he intentionally hit her and he was trying to flee the scene.”
Multiple 911 callers reported the incident.
Severo also said as a WPD officer and ex-military, Warren could have rendered aid to the victim, but he didn’t.
“We believe he was trying to get her back in the truck before law enforcement arrived,” Severo told the judge.
When Warren was arrested last week, he called the victim “apologizing” and asked her to pick him up from jail, Severo said. The victim was still in the hospital being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Severo also reminded Judge Davis that Warren had appeared before him just last year, when his ex-wife sought a protective order, which the judge denied. Severo explained Davis ordered the ex-wife to “sort it out with WPD” and notify him of his actions, which the ex-wife did.
“WPD has been notified of his violent behavior and he remained employed,” she said, noting many reports have been made to the police department on behalf of Warren.
The state is trying to gain access to the internal investigation reports from the department, Severo confirmed.
She explained the ex-wife told WPD he was known to carry his weapon both on and off duty and Warren made threats to her in front of the children, including the following statements:
“I will f*** you up,” and “B***h, game is on.”
Severo recalled the incident that led to the ex-wife requesting the protective order, reported on by Port City Daily Friday, where Warren did not pick up the son he has joint custody over with his ex-wife. Warren showed up, “impaired at the time” to the ex-wife’s house, banging on the door, threatening her and her significant other. Warren also had his 5-year-old daughter in the car during the incident.
In total, between the ex-wife and the victim, there are seven children in Warren’s care at times, Severo told the judge.
(Last week, the ex-wife was granted emergency custody of the two children she shares with Warren.)
Severo also recounted Warren’s criminal history, dating back more than 15 years to his residence in Durham.
READ MORE: WPD officer on paid administrative leave has violent history, records show
“Shocking to many, he’s been employed with the Wrightsville Beach Police Department; he’s been employed with the Wilmington Police Department,” Severo said. “He was even appointed as a U.S Marshal and was serving in that capacity.”
In 2002, Warren was charged with felony breaking and entering, which was reduced to a guilty misdemeanor. He was also charged with felony possession of a stolen firearm in 2005, making a threatening phone call in 2006 and possession of schedule VI-controlled substances and resisting a public officer in 2002. The latter four charges were all dismissed.
Severo then recalled a flag football incident from earlier this year where he was intoxicated and “belligerent,” trying to fight other parents, and brandished his weapon and badge. The attorney requested all his weapons be seized and asked for a “no contact” order for the ex-wife, the victim and both of their children.
Judge Davis gave Warren an opportunity to speak before making a decision but also informed the defendant he did not have to.
“I don’t have a million dollars; I don’t have a job,” Warren said, as he lowered his head to look at the floor and appeared to get emotional. In court, he pointed to his mother and brother, advising the judge they were there to support him — his brother seemingly crying, head in his hands.
“I don’t have that kind of money. I have no problem relinquishing my weapons,” Warren added.
Davis issued a $100,000 secured bond and agreed Warren must turn over all weapons and also wear a SCRAM bracelet, which monitors alcohol use. Warren was ordered not to consume any alcohol.
The judge also ordered no contact with the victim but did not include the ex-wife, saying he wanted to limit restrictions to those involved directly with this case.
Severo then requested an electronic monitoring device in case Warren bonded out of jail, to ensure he stays away from both the victim and ex-wife. Davis agreed.
“This is going to be a start,” said Davis, who also appointed a public defender’s office attorney to Warren and said he also could hire his own in the future.
“You’re not confined to house arrest,” the judge added. “I would defer your questions to the public defender on what you can and can’t do.”
Last week, following the first set of charges, Warren was put on paid administrative leave — his salary a little more than $55,000. By Monday afternoon, he was terminated for violating the following manual of rules and departmental policies, according to WPD:
- Obeying the law
- Use of alcohol while off duty
- Standard of conduct
A letter, written by WPD Police Chief Donny Williams, states a pre-disciplinary conference was held with Williams, Warren, and Deputy Chief Benjamin Kennedy on July 31. During the meeting, Warren was given the opportunity to respond to the violations.
“Based upon my review of the report and speaking with you during your pre-disciplinary conference, at which time you were given the opportunity to provide any information regarding the allegations in the investigation, I concur with the findings of the investigation,” the letter penned by Williams states.
Warren may appeal to the civil service commission for a hearing within 10 working days.
WPD Lt. Willett confirmed the chief has final discretion for disciplinary action at the conclusion of any internal affairs investigations, in accordance with city charter and city policies.
Warren’s next court date is Aug. 10 in felony district court.
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