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Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter
Garrett County – On Friday, March 27, at 7:30 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) arrested and charged a Friendsville man for driving while intoxicated on Old River Road in Friendsville.
NRP initiated a traffic stop on Richard W. Hoover, 40, of Friendsville after observing Hoover’s vehicle stopped along the roadway. The officer was in the area checking the Youghiogheny River for fishing activity. During the course of the traffic stop, Hoover was arrested and transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack for processing. Hoover 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.
NRP also charged Hoover’s passenger, Lesa J. Paugh, 39, of Friendsville during the incident for littering. Paugh allegedly threw an opened can of beer into the woods during the stop.
Garrett County – On Saturday, March 28, at 7:30 p.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police arrested and charged a Pennsylvania man for driving while intoxicated in Savage River State Forest.
NRP initiated a traffic stop on Richard E. Molnar, 47, of Perryopolis, Pa. for allegedly driving erratically on Savage River Road. During the course of the traffic stop, Molnar was arrested and transported to the Maryland State Police McHenry Barrack for processing. Molnar 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 to a sober driver.
Garrett County – On Saturday, March 28, the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Rand L. Miller, 49, of Friedens, Pa. with fishing with bait in a zero creel limit trout fishing area on Big Run off of Savage River. While checking Miller, the officer discovered Miller was fishing with meal worms.
NRP reminds anglers that a zero creel limit and possession limit for brook trout has been established for the Savage River mainstem and tributaries upstream of the Savage River Reservoir Dam; excluding impoundments and put-and-take trout fishing areas.
The harvest of brook trout is prohibited. However, harvesting of brown and rainbow trout is allowed under general statewide regulation.
Angling can be done only with artificial lures and artificial flies. Possession of any bait is prohibited.
Kent County – On Thursday, March 26, Daniel L. Dierker, 30, William M. Ashley III, 30, and Anthony Vandewal, 42, all of Rock Hall were found guilty in Kent County District Court of commercial fishing violations. The charges were filed by the Maryland Natural Resources Police in January.
The incident started when NRP observed the three men fishing gill nets during the pre-dawn hours of Dec. 18, 2008 in the Chester River near Piney Point. Officers charged each individual with fishing for striped bass with gills net during restricted time; unlawful use of anchored gill net; improperly marking gill nets and unattended gill nets.
Dierker was also charged with failure to obey a lawful order of a police officer and littering upon the waters of the State after he cut a line attached to an anchor at the end of one of the nets. NRP seized as evidence one box of stretched mesh gill net, five anchors, one drag bar and 385 pounds of striped bass.
Dierker was sentenced to 14 days in jail to be served in the Kent County Detention Center and fined a total $500. Ashley and Vandewal each received fines totaling $300.
March 31, 2009 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