Burlco officer charged in Maryland road-rage killing released on bond

A police officer from Burlington County facing murder charges in a Maryland road-rage killing has been freed on bond.

Maryland court records show that 40-year-old Joseph Walker was released from custody on Wednesday. His bond had been set at $1 million.

Walker, of Eastampton Township, was arrested in a fatal shooting over the weekend. The sworn officer with the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter.

Maryland State Police allege that Walker got into a road-rage incident with another driver on Route 3 near Route 175 in Gambrills, Md., and fired his .45 Glock at the driver of another vehicle.

The driver of that car, 36-year-old Joseph Harvey Jr., of Halethorpe, Md., died from the gunshot injuries.

The drivers both pulled on to the shoulder of the road, and Harvey and a passenger got out of his vehicle, police said. Harvey walked toward Walker, who exited his minivan and announced that he was a police officer, authorities said.

Harvey continued to approach Walker, who then fired his gun, striking Harvey, who was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Defense attorney Anthony Pope told NJ.com that Walker was "out and we're thankful for that." Pope told the newspaper that the shooting victim had used racial slurs, threatened Walker and tried to run him off the road.