Maryland Natural Resources Police Blotter

Annapolis, MD (September 13, 2010) – Garrett County – On September 7 at 2:30 a.m., the Maryland Natural Resources Police (NRP) charged Timothy Joe Beachy, 44, of Grantsville, Md., with driving while impaired, driving while under the influence of alcohol, exceeding the posted speed limit, negligent driving, failure to display registration card and violating an alcohol restriction on his driving license. Beachy was stopped by NRP during a DUI enforcement grant patrol in the area of Route 40 near the Casselman River Bridge. A trial date is pending.

Garrett County – On September 6 at 9:00 p.m., NRP charged Brooke Ann James, 26, of Lebanon, Ohio, with operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol, operating a vessel while impaired by alcohol, operating a vessel while impaired by a combination of alcohol and/or drugs, operating a vessel without proper navigational lights, operating without a boating safety certificate, insufficient number of personal flotation devices and negligent operation. James was stopped on Deep Creek Lake in the area of McHenry Cove for improper display of navigational lights. A trial has been set for 1 p.m. on October 27 at the District Court in Oakland, Md.

Allegany County – On September 6, NRP charged Jeffrey Alan Matzka Jr., 23, of Hyndman, Pennsylvania, with activating a false fire alarm and destruction of property at the Rocky Gap Lodge. Matzka activated the fire alarm by tampering with it. The resulting fire alarm alerted area fire companies and caused damages in excess of $2,000 to the laundry area from the sprinkler system. Matzka was held on $3,500 bond at the Allegany County Detention Center.

Cecil County – On August 29 at 9:45 p.m., NRP charged Joseph Anthony Glaser with operating a vessel under the influence of alcohol. NRP was called to Tydings Park in Havre De Grace about a water rescue in the Susquehanna River near Perry Point. An investigation revealed that Glaser was operating a 1981 21-foot Wellcraft in the Susquehanna River with seven people aboard the vessel when the vessel took on water and capsized. The occupants of the vessel were able to put their life jackets on prior to capsizing and were taken to shore by local fire departments. The investigation determined that Glaser was under the influence of alcohol while operating the vessel.

Dorchester County – On August 30, NRP charged Theodore Riley Abbott Jr., 20, of Church Creek, Md., with setting crab pots in a prohibited area, crabbing before hours, setting unmarked crab pots, and operating without proper navigational lights. NRP charged Abbott during an investigation into illegal crabbing activities in the Hooper Straits area of the Honga River.

Talbot County – On August 26 at 12:30 p.m., NRP charged Philip Shawn Murphy, 42, of Tilghman, Md., with catching crabs commercially without a license, possession of female crabs in excess of the limit and failing to obtain annual certificate of number. NRP was conducting routine inspections in Knapps Narrows in Tilghman when they boarded Murphy’s vessel and found him operating on an expired commercial license and expired registration on his fishing vessel. Murphy had eight bushels of female crabs on board his vessel and would be permitted to harvest six bushels with a valid commercial license. A trail is set for November 18, 2010 at the District Court of Maryland in Talbot County.

The Maryland Natural Resources Police is the enforcement arm of the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). With an authorized strength of 247 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 (DNR), which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, is the state agency responsible for providing natural and living resource-related services to citizens and visitors. DNR manages more than 461,000 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