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Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
Garrett County – On Friday, August 24, at 10:40 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged Richard James Goulding, 61, of Mount Pleasant, Pa. with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol in the area of the Rt. 219 Bridge on Deep Creek Lake.
Goulding was stopped for operating his vessel after sunset without displaying proper navigational lights. He displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack. Goulding took a breath test, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of .11 percent. He was charged with operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol, and operating a vessel without proper navigational lights. Goulding was released on his signature.
Garrett County – On Saturday, August 25, at 7:05 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Charles Daniel Alt, 50, of Moorefield, W.Va. with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol in the area of the Glendale Bridge on Deep Creek Lake.
Alt was stopped for operating his vessel without registration numbers displayed on the right side of the vessel. He displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack. Alt took a breath test, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent. He was charged with 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 drugs, or any combination of drugs or alcohol; and improper display of numbers. Alt was released on his signature.
Garrett County – On Sunday, August 26, at 12:10 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged John Gregory Riordan, 34, of Laurel and Jonathan Damon Hill, 34, of Glen Burnie with drug violations in the campgrounds of Swallow Falls State Park.
NRP was patrolling the campground and observed the two men allegedly sharing a suspected marijuana cigarette. The officer approached and observed a small smoking pipe as well. The pipe and a small quantity of suspected marijuana was seized as evidence. Riordan and Hill were charged with criminal summons for possession of a controlled dangerous substance (CDS), marijuana, and possession of CDS paraphernalia.
Garrett County – On Sunday, August 26, at 12:55 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Henry Edward Harris, 38, of Washington D.C. with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol on Deep Creek Lake.
Harris was stopped for operating his vessel after sunset without displaying proper navigational lights. He displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, was placed under arrest and transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack. Harris took a breath test, which showed a blood alcohol concentration of .08 percent. He was charged with operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol, and operating a vessel without proper navigational lights. Harris was released on his signature.
Garrett County – On Monday, August 27, at 11:30 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged a charged a 16-year old McHenry boy after investigating a boat accident on Deep Creek Lake.
The youth was operating a 21-foot 2001 Correct Craft vessel southbound near McHenry Cove when he noticed the gauges on the vessel were not operating properly. While the youth continued to check the gauges and operate the vessel at the same time, he ran across a section of dock and collided with an unoccupied 24-foot 2007 Sea Ray vessel moored at the Lakeside Club docks. Both vessels sustained disabling damage and were removed from the water.
The youth refused medical treatment at the scene. He was charged with negligent operation and failure to maintain a proper lookout.
Worcester County – On Friday, August 24, at 9 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Peter Hassler, 65, of Ocean Pines with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol near the Rt. 50 Bridge in the Isle of Wight Bay.
NRP stopped Hassler after being notified by the U.S. Coast Guard of the intoxicated boater. Hassler displayed signs of intoxication and after failing field sobriety tests, became uncooperative and refused to take a breath test. He was charged with operating a motor vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a motor vessel while impaired by alcohol, and operating a motor vessel while impaired by drugs, or any combination of drugs or alcohol.
A court date of Oct. 26 has been scheduled for Hassler in Worcester County District Court.
Worcester County – On Saturday, August 25, the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged two from Ohio with boating violations in the commercial harbor of West Ocean City.
NRP stopped two personal watercraft (PWC) operated by Michael Axtman, 25, and Yvonne Axtman, 32, both of Youngstown, Ohio, for allegedly speeding in the harbor. During the stop officers discovered that both PWC registrations were expired and that both vessels had the hull identification number (HIN) plates removed. The two were escorted back to the boat ramps where officers discovered that the trailer used to transport the PWCs did not have a registration tag displayed.
Both Axtmans were charged with failure to affix hull identification as required by the Federal Boat Safety Act of 1971. Michael Axtman was also charged with exceeding the established speed limit, and failure to attach the registration plate to the trailer.
NRP seized both PWCs and the trailer as evidence. The incident is still under investigation.
Worcester County – On Saturday, August 25, at 5 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police arrested Stuart Lloyd Windsor, 65, of Ocean City for assault at the Talbot Street Pier in Ocean City.
NRP, along with Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife Enforcement officers, were conducting a joint enforcement agreement patrol at the pier to find and deter fisheries violations. Officers boarded Windsor’s sportfishing charter boat “Lisa” to check the daily catch and discovered three fish that required a federal permit to possess. When officers asked Windsor for his permit he became uncooperative, picked up the three fish and walked off the vessel away from the officers. He refused to comply with officer’s orders and had to be forcefully restrained.
Windsor was charged with second-degree assault, failure to obey a lawful order of a police officer, resisting arrest, and obstructing and hindering. He was taken before a Worcester County District Court Commissioner and released on his personal recognizance.
August 29, 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