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Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
Charles County – On Saturday, June 7, at 10:50 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) arrested Jeremy M. Donahue, 21, of Indian Head for operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol on Mattawoman Creek near Sweden Point Marina.
NRP stopped Donahue for allegedly displaying his vessel registration numbers improperly. Donahue was transported to the Maryland State Police La Plata Barrack for processing and charged with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol per se, operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol, negligent operation of a vessel, insufficient number of approved personal flotation devices (PFD), improper display of vessel registration numbers and failure to possess a boater’s safety certificate. He was released on his signature.
Garrett County – On Saturday, June 7, at 10 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police arrested John G. Ruhl, 63, of Cumberland for operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol near the Glendale Bridge on Deep Creek Lake.
NRP stopped Ruhl for allegedly not displaying proper navigational lights on his vessel. Ruhl was transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack for processing and charged with operating a vessel while under the influence of 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 Sunday, June 8, at 5:24 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police arrested Ricky B. Hardesty, 50, of Swanton for operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol on Deep Creek Lake.
NRP stopped Hardesty after receiving a complaint from a concerned citizen of a vessel operating recklessly. Hardesty was transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack for processing and charged with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol, operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol and/or drugs and reckless operation of a vessel. He was released on his signature.
Kent County – On June 3, and June 10, in Kent County District Court, the following individuals stood trail on 184 striped bass violation charges that were filed Thursday, March 20, by the Maryland Natural Resources Police. These charges were the result of an investigation by NRP that started in late February on the Sassafras River near Betterton.
Harold W. Cheyney III, 42, of Warwick, Joseph A. Kennedy Jr., 43, and Scott A. Siter, 20, both of Chestertown were each charged with 12 counts of setting unattended gill net, 12 counts of setting unattended anchored gill net, 12 counts of setting unmarked gill net, 9 counts of failing to retrieve striped bass gill net by 6 p.m., and one count of possessing in excess of 600-yards of net per licensee. NRP seized as evidence 506 pounds of striped bass and three boxes of striped bass gill net from the individuals’ vessel.
Cheyney was found guilty of one count each of setting unattended anchored gill net; setting unattended gill net; setting unmarked gill net; failing to retrieve striped bass gill net by 6 p.m.; and possessing in excess of 600-yards of net per licensee. He received a $500 fine and 12 months unsupervised probation.
Kennedy was found guilty of one count each of setting unattended anchored gill net; setting unattended gill net; setting unmarked gill net; and failing to retrieve striped bass gill net by 6 p.m. He received a $500 fine and 12 months unsupervised probation.
Siter was found guilty of one count of setting unattended anchored gill net. He was fined $500.
John F. Stallard, 52 and Christopher D. Stallard, 30, both of North East were each charged with four counts of setting unattended gill net, four counts of setting unmarked gill net, three counts of failure to retrieve striped bass gill net by 6 p.m., and one count possessing in excess of 600-yards of net per licensee.
John Stallard pleaded guilty to one count each of setting unattended gill net; setting unmarked gill net; failing to retrieve striped bass gill net by 6 p.m.; and possessing in excess of 600-yards of net per licensee. He received fines totaling $2,000 and his nets were forfeited to the state along with the proceeds from the 330 pounds of striped bass seized.
Christopher Stallard pleaded guilty to one count each of setting unattended gill net; setting unmarked gill net; and failing to retrieve striped bass gill net by 6 p.m. He received fines totaling $500.
John Stallard and Christopher Stallard were also charged in Cecil County with four counts of setting unattended gill net, four counts of setting unmarked gill net and three counts of failure to retrieve striped bass gill net by 6 p.m. NRP seized as evidence 330 pounds of striped bass and two boxes of striped bass gill net from the individuals’ vessel. A court date of June 23 has been scheduled for John and Christopher Stallard in Cecil County District Court.
Queen Anne’s County – On Saturday, June 7, at 4:22 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police investigated a boating related accident on the Corsica River near Centreville.
Donald A. Mitchell, 46, of Centreville was pulling two teenaged males, ages 13 and 14, on an inflatable ski tube with a 20-foot vessel at the mouth of the river. The tube hit a wake causing the teens to fall from the tube. The 13-year-old youth was flown by Maryland State Police medevac helicopter to the Johns Hopkins Hospital for what appeared to be serious injuries. The youth was later released. The 14-year-old was not injured. No charges have been filed at this time.
Talbot County – On Saturday, June 7, at 2:20 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police investigated a boating accident on Peach Blossom Creek near Le Gates Cove.
Charles M. Bode, 54, of Columbia was operating his 26-foot motor vessel with one passenger, Gregory B. Hansen, 56, of Woodbine, onboard when he struck a submerged sandbar. Hansen sustained injures when he was thrown to the front of the vessel. Hansen was flown by Maryland State Police medevac helicopter to the University of Maryland R. Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center for what appeared to be serious injuries. No charges have been filed and alcohol was not a factor in the accident.
Washington County – On Saturday, June 7, at 9: 50 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police arrested a Smithsburg man for driving while intoxicated on Kemps Mill Road near Williamsport.
NRP initiated a traffic stop on Curtis B. Rowe II, 31, of Smithsburg for driving a go-kart on the roadway. During the course of the traffic stop, Rowe was arrested and transported to the Maryland State Police Hagerstown Barrack for processing. 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 operating a motor vehicle without headlamps. He was released on his signature.
Worcester County – On Saturday, June 7, at 8:50 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Kirk D. Carey, 47, of Ocean City with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol near the West Ocean City Commercial Fishing Harbor.
NRP stopped Carey for allegedly not displaying proper navigational lights on his vessel. Carey was charged with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol, operating a 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.
A court date of July 18 has been scheduled for Carey in Worcester County District Court.
June 13, 2008 Contact: Sgt. Ken Turner
410-260-8003 office
kturner@dnr.state.md.usThe 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.
The Maryland Department of Natural Resources is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages nearly one-half million 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