Maryland Natural Resources Police Charge PA Man In Hit And Run Boat Accident

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ELKTON — Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) recently charged a Pennsylvania man in an alleged hit-and-run boat accident that occurred April 10 in the Elk River near the mouth of the Bohemia River in Cecil County.

NRP officers responded at 6 p.m. for a reported vessel accident with injury at the Elk River near the mouth of the Bohemia River. The accident involved two motor vessels, one of which failed to stop after the accident. An 18-foot Baja sport boat, owned and operated by Jordan Whitmore, 24, of Drexel, Pa., was traveling south on the Elk River. Whitmore had stopped near the mouth of the Bohemia River. An 18-foot Bayliner vessel, owned and operated by James M. Clark, 28, of Drexel Hill Pa., allegedly ran up and over the back of Whitmore’s vessel and allegedly failed to stop to provide assistance. Whitmore had three passengers onboard his vessel.

One of the passengers, Ryan T. Whitmore, 24, of West Chester, Pa., was flown to the University of Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore with serious injuries.

NRP charged James M. Clark with reckless endangerment, negligent operation of a motor vessel, failure to keep a proper lookout, failure to maintain a safe speed and failure to take action to avoid a collision. A person convicted of reckless endangerment is subject to 5 years imprisonment and or a fine not to exceed $5,000. The other charges have a maximum penalty of $500 for each charge. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission assisted the NRP in the investigation. Clark is scheduled for trial in July.

NRP want to remind people to exercise caution and safety while boating on the waters of the state. Remember to wear your life jacket, stay alert, plan your trip and allow enough time to arrive and return from your voyage safely. People can report reckless or suspicious activity on the waterways by calling the NRP at 1-800-492-TIPS or Channel 16 on their VHF marine radios.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 285 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the Natural Resources Police provide a variety of services in addition to conservation and boating law enforcement duties throughout the State of Maryland. These services include homeland security, search and rescue, emergency medical services, education, information and communications services on a round the clock basis. NRP is the only police force aside from the Maryland State Police that has statewide jurisdiction.

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June 20, 2005

The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 446,000 acres of public lands and 18,000 miles of waterways, along with Maryland's forests, fisheries and wildlife for maximum environmental, economic and quality of life benefits. A national leader in land conservation, DNR-managed parks and natural, historic and cultural resources attract 11 million visitors annually. DNR is the lead agency in Maryland's effort to restore the Chesapeake Bay, the state's number one environmental priority. Learn more at www.dnr.maryland.gov