Annapolis Man Found Guilty Of Attacking Car Passenger 20 Times With Sledgehammer

ANNAPOLIS, MD — A 37-year-old Annapolis man was recently found guilty of repeatedly attacking another man with a sledgehammer inside a car earlier this year.

A guilty verdict came down against Ramon Antonio Rivas-Portillo on Wednesday for the following charges:

• Second-degree attempted murder
• First-degree assault
• Reckless endangerment
• Carrying a dangerous weapon openly with intent to injure

The verdict followed hours of deliberations, according to Thursday release issued by the Office of the State's Attorney.

State's Attorney Anne Colt Leitess said in a statement that the 26-year-old "suffered two lacerations resulting in scars to his face and continues to have headaches and memory loss."

"He is fortunate to be alive, given the potential trauma a sledgehammer can inflict," she said. "There is no way this defendant can take back the irreparable, life-changing harm his senseless act of violence caused."

Sentencing in the case is scheduled for Jan. 8, 2027.

Breaking Down The Attack

The case dates back to June 18, 2026, when Anne Arundel County Police were alerted around 2:30 p.m. to reports of an assault on the 3200 block of Arundel on the Bay Road in Annapolis.

At the scene, officers found a 26-year-old man who was severely bleeding from his head as multiple bystanders attempted to apply pressure before medical personnel arrived.

The man was later flown to R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was treated for his serious injuries.

Through the course of the investigation, authorities learned the man had been with Rivas-Portillo and another man at a nearby park drinking alcohol.

The attack occurred after trio left the park in a Ford Fusion. The 26-year-old man was sat behind Rivas-Portillo, who was sitting in the front passenger seat as the third man was driving the vehicle.

Moments into the drive, Rivas-Portillo grabbed a sledgehammer, turned in the man's direction and proceeded to repeatedly strike him in the face, according to the release. The driver told investigators that Rivas-Portillo struck the man "approximately 20 times."

It's unclear what prompted Rivas-Portillo to carry out the attack.

After the driver pulled over and removed the injured man from the vehicle, Rivas-Portillo jumped into the driver's seat and fled the scene. The car was later found unoccupied in the vicinity of the Lincoln Center with bloody clothing inside.

Rivas-Portillo was ultimately taken into custody as he attempted to leave the scene in a vehicle after changing his clothes.