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Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
Anne Arundel County – Corporal Cameron Brown of the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) participated in a fishing event organized by the Annapolis Chapter of the Wish-A-Fish Foundation, Inc. The event took place Saturday, July 21, at Sandy Point State Park.
The Wish-A-Fish Foundation's mission is to provide a little relief for a family from the daily stress of having a child with “special needs” such as a live-threatening illness, or a mental or physical disability, by taking the entire family out for a day of fun and fishing on the water.
Corporal Brown was on hand to present certificates to participants for their catches of the day.
Cecil County –The Maryland Natural Resources Police continue their investigation of a boat accident that claimed the life of a Philadelphia woman.
On Saturday, July 21, at 4:11 p.m., NRP responded to the Elk River near Town Point for a collision between a 42-foot motor vessel and a personal watercraft (PWC). Kristy Lynn Szewczak, 21, of Philadelphia, Pa. and Christopher J. Leight Jr., 30, of Warmingster, Pa. occupied the PWC. Szewczak was transported to Christiana Hospital where she was pronounced dead. Leight was flown to the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in critical condition.
The operator of the 42-foot vessel, Mark D. Rosati, 51, of Mount Laurel, N.J. and his five passengers were not injured.
Charles County – On Sunday, July 22, at 12:43 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Daniel Arthur McMahan, 35, of Colonial Beach, Va. with operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol on the Potomac River near Fairview Beach.
McMahan was stopped by NRP for operating his vessel without proper navigational lights after sunset. McMahan displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack. He took a breath test, which showed a result of a blood alcohol concentration of .11 percent.
McMahan was issued citations for operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol, operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol per se, operating a vessel between the hours of sunset and sunrise without proper navigation lights, and failure to have certificate of number available for inspection. He was released on his signature to a friend.
Garrett County – On Friday, July 20, at 10:20 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Robert Michael Linz, 53, of Fallston with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol on Deep Creek Lake near the Route 219 Bridge.
Linz was stopped by NRP for operating his vessel without proper navigational lights after sunset. Linz displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest. He was issued citations for operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol, operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, and operating a vessel between the hours of sunset and sunrise without proper navigation lights. He was released on his signature.
A court date of October 17 has been scheduled for Linz in Garrett County District Court.
Garrett County – On Saturday, July 21, at 9:52 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Zachary Thomas Donovan, 47, of Upper Arlington, Ohio with operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol on Deep Creek Lake near the Glendale Bridge.
Donovan was stopped by NRP for operating his vessel without proper navigational lights after sunset. Donovan displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack. Donovan took a breath test, which showed a result of a blood alcohol concentration of .05 percent.
Donovan was issued citations for operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol and operating a vessel between the hours of sunset and sunrise without proper navigation lights. He was released on his signature.
Garrett County – On Saturday, July 21, at 11:30 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged five with alcohol violations at a campsite in the whitewater area of the Savage River State Forest.
Michaengelo Gaetamo Loggia, 20, of Rockville and Daniel Sean Khaw, 19, Osman Omar Dadi, 20, and Adam Benjamin Goldstein, 19, all of North Potomac were charged with possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person under 21 years of age. Cody Lee Powell, 21, of Kensington was charged with furnishing alcoholic beverage for underage consumption.
Garrett County – On Sunday, July 22, at 12:35 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Bradley Alan Palmer, 23, of Oakland with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol on Deep Creek Lake near the Route 219 Bridge.
NRP stopped Palmer for allegedly violating the 100-foot from shoreline minimum wake zone. Palmer was observed operating his 21-foot pontoon boat in the direction of a private dock, only altering his course after his passenger yelled for him to turn left.
Palmer displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest. He was issued citations for operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol, operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, minimum wake zone violation, and insufficient number of personal flotation devices (PFDs). He was released on his signature.
A court date of October 17 has been scheduled for Palmer in Garrett County District Court.
St. Mary’s County – On Friday, July 20, at 5:05 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged three with alcohol violations at Myrtle Point Park. NRP observed the individuals while patrolling the park. Bridgett R. Jones, 18, of Leonardtown and a 17-year old boy of Hollywood were charged with possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person under 21 years of age. Timothy James Wietzke, 24, of Hollywood was charged with furnishing alcoholic beverage for underage consumption.
Wietzke and Jones were released on their signatures. The 17-year old boy was released to his father.
Washington County – On Saturday, July 21, at 10:35 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged John Walter Sprinkle, 24, of Falling Waters, W.Va. with operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol on the Potomac River near Four Locks.
Sprinkle was stopped by NRP for operating his vessel without proper navigational lights after sunset. He displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack. Sprinkle took a breath test, which showed a result of a blood alcohol concentration of .07 percent. He was released on his signature.
Washington County – On Saturday, July 21, at 11:05 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged three 17-year olds from Gaithersburg with possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person under 21 years of age in the campground of Greenbrier State Park. NRP observed the youths while patrolling the campground.
All three were evicted from the campground, released to their parents and referred to the Department of Juvenile Services.
Washington County – On Sunday July 22, at 6:56 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged a Gaithersburg man with driving while intoxicated in Greenbrier State Park.
NRP stopped Edgar Estuardo Chocon, 29, of Gaithersburg for driving erratically and failing to stop at a stop sign. After taking field sobriety tests, Chocon was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack. Chocon took a breath test, which showed a result of a blood alcohol concentration of .19 percent. He was charged with driving a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol per se, driving a vehicle while impaired by alcohol, and failure to stop at a stop sign.
Chocon was taken before a Washington County District Court Commissioner and held on $6,000 bond.
Worcester County – On Friday, July 20, at 11:45 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged six Pennsylvanians with alcohol violations in the campground of Assateague State Park. NRP entered the campsite to investigate a quiet hour noise violation.
The following 18-year olds were charged with possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person under 21 years of age and have a scheduled court date of September 7 in Worcester County District Court: Casey Chiidester, Mattie Dilella, Jeffrey Baldwin, and Brendan Long, all of Berwyn, Pa., Natalie Olshevski of Wayne, Pa., and Margaret Fuchs of Devon, Pa.
Worcester County - On Saturday, July 21, the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Douglas Lee Zarlenga and Rodney Allen Seltzer, both 41 and both of Palmyra, Pa. with operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol in the Isle of Wight Bay near 32nd street in Ocean City. NRP stopped the two men for operating their personal watercrafts (PWCs) greater than six knots though the marked speed zone.
Both men displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, were charged and released with a scheduled court date of October 5 in Worcester County District Court.
Worcester County – On Sunday, July 22, at 1:20 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged six juveniles and one adult with alcohol violations in the campground of Assateague State Park. NRP entered the campsite to investigate a quiet hour noise violation.
Officers observed and identified six 15 and 16 year-olds from Howard County consuming alcoholic beverages while sitting around the campfire. Thomas F. Ricciuti, 51, of Columbia was the only adult at the campsite.
NRP charged the six juveniles with possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person under 21 years of age, referred the charges to the Department of Juvenile Services and contacted their parents. NRP also charged Ricciuti with furnishing alcoholic beverage for underage consumption.
July 24, 2007The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 280 officers and a dedicated staff of civilian and volunteer personnel, the NRP 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.
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 449,000 acres of public lands and 17,000 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 12 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