RICHMOND, Va. -- A man who police say was involved in a shootout with a Richmond Police officer has officially been charged.
A multi-jurisdictional grand jury indicted Dakari Reinhardt on five charges, including aggravated malicious wounding.
"He's charged with an aggravated malicious wounding rather than attempted capital murder of a police officer. I think that's important because the malicious wounding is easier to prove and carries the same penalty which is life in prison," CBS6 legal expert Todd Stone said.
Reinhardt is in police custody, still recovering from injuries sustained during a shootout with an RPD officer last month.
On July 25, Richmond Police said they saw a car speeding on the Southside near Commerce and Stockton Streets.
The car crashed and the driver went running. Soon thereafter, police said the driver got into a shootout with a Richmond officer. Both the officer and 20-year-old Reinhardt were injured by gunfire.
'He's already in circuit court so that's the felony for trails. That's where he can decide if he wants a trial by jury or judge," Stone said.
A family member told Jon Burkett that Reinhardt has had a tough few years.
He was in the military but was discharged after witnessing two suicides on top of his good friend being killed in recent years. The family member added that Reinhardt's recent issues with the law are out of character.
"His experiences in the military, you know, I've seen many times, people leave the military and come out a different person as when they went in. It can tend to create a situation where you're quicker to snap or you have some mental health issues. Not issues that rise to the level of insanity defense, but mental health issues that could be behind the shooting," Stone said.
Crime Insider sources told Jon Burkett that the officer involved in the shooting is still recovering.
Richmond Police haven't released any more details about the investigation but Stone said the indictments lead him to believe who pulled the trigger first has been determined.
