WASHINGTON — Two men are charged with attempted murder after police say they conspired to assault one of the suspect’s employers at a Howard County gas station in October.

Howard County police said Malcolm Littlejohn, a 20-year-old Silver Spring resident, and Eric Exum, a 48-year-old D.C. resident, tried to kill Exum’s employer, 52-year-old Paul Albritton, at a BP gas station in the 8800 block of Washington Boulevard in Jessup on Oct. 4. Littlejohn and Exum are facing first-degree attempted-murder charges as well a conspiracy to commit murder and assault.

Around 6:45 a.m. Oct. 4, police said Albritton and Exum drove to the gas station, and Albritton got out of the vehicle to enter the store. Exum stayed in the vehicle. When Albritton returned to the vehicle, police said Littlejohn approached him and hit him on the head with a two-by-four wooden board before fleeing the scene.

Emergency crews transported Albritton to a hospital with a severe head injury. He is now in a long-term care facility, police said.

Howard County detectives found Exum had been in regular contact with Littlejohn in the days leading up to the assault. Also, the suspects spoke on the phone just minutes before the assault, police said.

The motive for the assault is still not clear, police said.