Charges Against Commissioner Derek Harvey Dropped; Curtis Reigh Retains Attorney who Defended Linda Tripp

In a significant development following a contentious county commissioner meeting several months ago, the Washington County State’s Attorney’s office has nolle prosequi’d, or dropped, the charges against County Commissioner Derek Harvey. This decision comes after allegations of assault were made against Harvey during the incident that led to the arrest of attendee and County Commissioner candidate Curtis Reigh.

The events unfolded when Curtis William Reigh, a Hagerstown resident and candidate for the 2026 County Commissioner election, was asked to leave a county commissioner meeting. Reigh had been addressing the commissioners during the public comment period of the meeting, and presenting materials related to a past civil case involving Commissioner President John Barr, calling for Barr’s resignation. County officials deemed the accusations irrelevant to current county business, as they had already been adjudicated. Despite instructions to discontinue speaking about the accusations, Reigh persisted, leading to a recess and a request for the room to be cleared. Reigh allegedly then refused to comply with a directive to leave and was subsequently arrested by a Washington County Sheriff’s deputy.

During Reigh’s arrest, local property owner Justin Holder claimed that Commissioner Harvey placed his hand on his shoulder in an attempt to request that Holder also leave. While such an action might not typically be considered assault by most individuals, it can fall under Maryland law depending on the circumstances, which led to Holder pressing charges against Harvey. However, the State’s Attorney’s office has now elected not to proceed with any charges against Commissioner Harvey related to this incident. The District Court case against Harvey, D-1112-CR-25-001614, is no longer viewable in Maryland Case Search.

Holder has been involved in multiple legal actions against Washington County, including accusations of civil rights violations.

The events have had a much larger impact on county meetings, including a very sparse attendance for a recent public hearing involving the comprehensive plan.

Meanwhile, Curtis Reigh, 27, continues to face legal proceedings. He was booked on June 3, 2025, under case number D-112-CR-25-001165 in the District Court for Washington County and released on his own recognizance. Reigh is charged with two misdemeanor offenses: trespassing in a public agency during operational hours and failure to obey a reasonable and lawful order. His case remains open, with a court date scheduled for September of this year. Reigh, who announced his candidacy for County Commissioner in March, had his legal representation, Joseph Murtha, enter an appearance on July 31, 2025. Murtha is the same attorney who successfully defended Linda Tripp in relation to her phone recording of conversations with Monica Lewinsky involving the Bill Clinton sexual scandal. The Washington County State’s Attorney’s office is prosecuting the case against Reigh.

The incident and its legal aftermath are unfolding as Reigh actively campaigns for the 2026 election. A recording of the June 3, 2025, county commissioner meeting is available for public viewing on the County’s YouTube channel. No August meeting agenda has been posted, but as of the last County Commissioner meeting agenda, the County no longer has a public comment period during Commissioner meetings.

Article by multiple contributors, based upon information from the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office and previous coverage.

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