Baltimore Police Detective Aaron Cain described in federal court on Friday the day his life changed — personally and professionally.

It was May 3, 2022.

Cain was outside a 7-Eleven on South Hanover Street near Cherry Hill, when he went to open the front-passenger door of his unmarked 2018 Ford Fusion. He was wearing his training uniform — a polo shirt with an embroidered police badge, cargo pants and a lanyard that held his credentials.

That’s when Trevon Gardner and two other young men approached him.

One of the assailants pistol-whipped Cain, causing him to fall and hit his head. While he was on the ground, one of the attackers punched and kicked him.

The three perpetrators jumped into the car and took off. Meanwhile, Cain managed to get on his feet and fired at the vehicle.

Surveillance video captured the car getting off the Hanover Street Bridge and then flipping onto its roof.

Cain suffered a mild concussion and needed to seek therapy, he said. But he added he did not harbor any ill-will toward Gardner, 25, of Reisterstown, who pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Baltimore to carjacking and a related firearm crime.

“You’re still a relatively young man. I wish you well. No hard feelings,” Cain said. “God still loves you, brother.”

U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Gardner to serve 12 years in federal prison. He must also spend five years on supervised release.

Assistant U.S. Attorney John Sippel Jr. said he was driving to work the day after the carjacking and heard about the crime on the radio. He immediately called the U.S. Attorney’s Office and urged federal prosecutors to take the case.

Sippel said the carjacking was “brazen lawlessness” and demanded a harsh sentence.

“It’s just such an outrageous and audacious event,” Sippel said. “It could’ve turned out much worse.”

Sippel said the footage of the crash looked like a scene out of the movie “Fast & Furious.”

Following the crash, Gardner ran to a nearby restaurant, got rid of some of his clothes and put on an apron, police said. Law enforcement quickly took him and a 16-year-old into custody.

One of the perpetrators got away.

Gardner’s attorney, Assistant Federal Public Defender Francisco Carriedo, said no one was disputing the seriousness of the crime.

“It was outrageous,” Carriedo said.

But he said his client did not have a criminal record and stated the sentence was by no means a slap on the wrist. Gardner has taken the time he’s spent in custody so far to reflect on the harm that he inflicted, Carriedo said.

At the time of the carjacking, Gardner was 23. Carriedo brought up the growing body of research on brain development and noted that young people make impulsive and risky decisions without considering the consequences.

Gardner, he said, is focused on earning his GED diploma and taking part in job training while in prison.

When Gardner was given the opportunity to speak, he huddled with his attorney.

Carriedo told the court his client was too nervous and relayed his message to Cain.

“Mr. Gardner appreciates your words and is incredibly sorry,” Carriedo said.

Cain then looked at Gardner and positioned his hands as if in prayer.