This week, a circuit court judge found Prince George’s County police officer Bryant Strong guilty of second-degree assault, misconduct in office and reckless endangerment in connection with a 2019 traffic stop that left county resident Demonte Ward-Blake paralyzed.

In court, Strong’s attorneys argued the incident that left Ward-Blake seriously injured was a “freak” and “unfortunate” accident after a stop for expired tags turned chaotic. But prosecutors argued that Strong intentionally lifted Ward-Blake’s feet from the ground and slammed him into the concrete. The judge in the case ultimately found that Strong’s defense wasn’t credible, and said his use of force was both intentional and unjustified.

“In this case, the actions were just outrageous. They were a crime,” said Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy in a press conference following the verdict on Wednesday. “And just like anyone else who commits a crime in our community, we have to hold them accountable, and today was a day of accountability.”

Strong faces up to 10 years in prison, and will be sentenced this summer. He is currently on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation, according to The Washington Post.

“I’m just glad justice was served,” said Ward-Blake’s mother, Rena Ward, after the verdict. “It’s a first step. It’s a long road ahead.”

Ward-Blake died last year after a shooting in District Heights. His family has claimed that the injuries he suffered during the incident with Strong contributed to his death.

In addition to the criminal case against Strong, Ward-Blake’s family filed a civil lawsuit against both Strong and Prince George’s County in February, asking for $75 million in damages. The suit calls out a pattern of police brutality in Prince George’s County. A Washington Post investigation found that between 1990 and 2001, police in the county fatally shot people at a higher rate than in any other large county nationwide. The county agreed to make changes following a Justice Department probe, but complaints from residents about police brutality have continued.

“For 50 plus years, Prince George’s County government has condoned the widespread brutality inflicted by its police officers against County residents, refusing to implement effective training, oversight, or disciplinary measures to prevent its officers from committing illegal and unconstitutional actions,” reads the complaint in the suit.

It shows a photo of Ward-Blake while he was in the hospital after his encounter with Strong.

“This image of Plaintiff Demonte Ward-Blake as he lay in Shock Trauma on a respirator, is the tragically foreseeable outcome of a failed and biased system of policing in Prince George’s County, to which County leaders turned a blind eye,” the complaint said. “Plaintiff Demonte Ward-Blake paid the ultimate price for their unacceptable apathy.”

At the press conference following the verdict on Wednesday, Ward-Blake’s mother said she stood in solidarity with other families across the region and country who have suffered from police brutality.

“I just want my son back at the end of the day,” said Ward. “But I’m glad the truth came out … we shouldn’t have to walk the streets in fear in our communities.”