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Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
Garrett County – The Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) conducted special saturation patrols this past Saturday and Sunday, June 28th and 29th, on Deep Creek Lake to save lives and reduce the number of personal injuries due to boating accidents.
Utilizing NRP aircraft and vessels strategically placed on the lake, the patrols lasted approximately two hours each day. An NRP helicopter flew over the lake locating boaters operating in an unsafe manner and directed the NRP vessels to the violations. Nineteen citations and 31 warning, mostly for distance violations, were issued during the patrols. One individual was arrested for operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol. These types of patrols along with unmarked vessels will be utilized state wide throughout the summer and will continue through the Labor Day Holiday.
NRP reminds boaters that when towing an individual or individuals on water skis, aquaplanes, tubes or other similar devices you must keep at least 100 feet from the shore, wharfs, piers, pilings, jetties, bridge structures or abutments, individual or individuals in the water and other vessels at all times.
Persons operating personal watercraft within 100 feet of the shore, wharfs, piers, pilings, jetties, bridge structures or abutments, individual or individuals in the water and other vessels may not exceed a speed of 6 knots at anytime.
Garrett County – On Friday, June 27, at 9 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Nathan E. Minerd, 31, of Columbus, Ohio with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol on Deep Creek Lake.
NRP stopped Minerd for allegedly not displaying proper navigational lights on his vessel. Minerd 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 between the hours of sunset and sunrise without proper navigation lights and failure to have required safety equipment, fire extinguisher, on his vessel. Minerd was taken before a Garrett County District Court Commissioner where he was released on his own personal recognizance.
Garrett County – On Saturday, June 28, at 1:10 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged a Wheaton man with driving while intoxicated on Oakland Sang Run Road.
NRP initiated a traffic stop on William P. Wagner, 60, of Wheaton for allegedly driving on the wrong side of the roadway. During the course of the traffic stop, Wagner was arrested and transported to the Garrett County Sheriff’s Office for processing. Wagner was charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and driving a vehicle while impaired by alcohol. He was released on his signature.
Garrett County – On Saturday, June 28, at 9:30 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged two individuals with alcohol violations in a camping area of Savage River State Forest.
NRP charged Frank J. Bostjancic, 31, of Lonaconing with furnishing alcoholic beverage for underage consumption and littering. Brain T. Bostjancic, 18, of Lonaconing was charged with possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person under 21 years of age. Both were released on their signatures.
Garrett County – On Saturday, June 28, at 6:20 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Matthew T. Gettemy, 25, of Greensburg, Pa. with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol on Deep Creek Lake.
NRP stopped Gettemy for allegedly towing an individual on a tube without a personal flotation device (PFD). Gettemy was transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack for processing and charged with operating a vessel while under the influence of alcohol and failure to have a Type IV PFD on his vessel. He was released on his signature.
Washington County – On Saturday, June 28, at 6:25 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged two West Virginia residents with drug and fishing violations on the Potomac River near Williamsport.
William D. Bohrer, 50, and Edna B. Fravel, 32, both of Falling Rock, W. Va. were charged with possession of controlled dangerous substance (CDS) paraphernalia and fishing without a fishing license. NRP charged the two after recovering a plastic bag and a smoking pipe containing suspected marijuana residue from the area along the shore.
Washington County – On Saturday, June 28, at 10:36 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged a Hagerstown man with driving while intoxicated at the Big Slackwater Boat Ramp on the Potomac River near Sharpsburg.
NRP responded to the area after receiving a report of a vehicle in the water. The officer arrived and found Francisco Lopez, 37, of Hagerstown sitting in the driver’s seat of a van located at the end of the boat ramp. The van’s rear wheels were submerged and water was entering the interior of the vehicle. A boat trailer was attached to the van and a boat was tied off to the van's roof rack. Lopez's wife and 2 small children were in the parking lot.
During the course of their investigation, NRP arrested and transported Lopez to the Hagerstown Police Department for processing. He was charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, per se and driving a vehicle while impaired by alcohol. He was released on his signature. The National Park Service Law Enforcement Rangers assisted NRP with the incident.
July 1, 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