Crime and Fire Blotter

This activity report is a selection of local incidents provided by the Anne Arundel County police and fire departments as a public service to the community and compiled by Patch. It is not a complete listing of all events and crimes reported.

May 2, 2011
Brooklyn Park:

Police received a call for shots fired in the 5200 block of Wasena Avenue in Brooklyn Park at about 1:34 p.m. Monday, police said.

According to police, witnesses reported hearing gunshots and seeing two men running in an alley. Officers arrived on the scene and found a woman in a vehicle suffering from apparent gunshot wounds to the upper body. The victim was taken to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in serious but stable condition.

As of 3:40 p.m., patrol units, a K-9 unit and an aviation unit were actively searching for the suspects, police said. The incident remains under investigation.

May 1 to 2, 2011
Glen Burnie: Fires

Two fires that occurred late Sunday night and early Monday morning are under investigation, according to Capt. James Rostek, Anne Arundel County Fire Department spokesman.

The first fire happened around 11:56 p.m. Sunday at Dotson's Barbeque near the intersection of Furnace Branch Road and Margate Drive, the location of a previous fire, according to Rostek. Firefighters had the fire under control in a matter of minutes, but one firefighter was sent to (BWMC) with minor injuries, Rostek said.

The other fire occurred around 3:58 a.m. Monday in the 1500 block of Furnace Avenue. Firefighters responded to the report of a vacant building on fire. 

Both fires are under investigation and the cause for both is undetermined.

Anyone with information about either fire is asked to call the tips line at 410-222-TIPS.

May 1, 2011
Glen Burnie: Shooting arrest

A man was arrested Sunday after being called to the 200 block of Woodhill Drive in Glen Burnie for a reported shooting.

Roy Junior Harris, 26, of Glen Burnie was arrested and charged with attempted first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, armed robbery, use of a firearm in a drug trafficking crime and several other related charges.

According to police, once they arrived on the scene they were informed that a 37-year-old man drove himself to BWMC after apparently being shot. Officers then went to BWMC and spoke to the victim who said he met with Harris to discuss the sale of a vehicle.

According to the police, at one point during the interaction, Harris pulled a handgun and attempted to rob the victim. The victim got out of the car and tried to run away, but Harris followed and caught up to him at which time there was a struggle and the victim was shot in a lower extremity, police said. Harris left he scene and was caught a short time later after a brief foot chase in the area of Oak Manor Drive, police said.

Police said the handgun believed to have been used in the incident was found with a large amount of suspected crack cocaine.

April 30, 2011
Glen Burnie: Carjacking

A Linthicum man was dragged as two young men stole his SUV early Saturday morning in Glen Burnie.

According to police, officers responded to the Glen Burnie MVA located at 6601 Ritchie Highway for a reported carjacking.

When police arrived they spoke with a 22-year-old man from Linthicum who said he was at the Shell gas station in the 6600 block of Ritchie Highway making a purchase when he saw two young men attempting to steal his Isuzu Trooper. The victim approached the SUV and a struggle ensued before the young men drove off in the Trooper with the victim still clinging to the driver’s side door, police said.

The two men drove the SUV through the MVA lot at which time the victim grabbed the steering wheel and caused the driver to lose control and crash the SUV into part of the building, police said. The two men then ran toward the Morris Hill neighborhood. The victim was thrown from the Trooper during the collision, but suffered only minor injuries, police said, and was taken to Harbor Hospital to be treated for a cut to the lip.

Police officers and the K-9 unit searched the area but were unable to locate the suspects.

April 29, 2011
Glen Burnie:

Two people have been transported to the shock trauma center in Baltimore after a person doing a "wheelie" at high speed caused other cars to roll over at I-97 and Quarterfield Road in Glen Burnie.

The accident occurred shortly after 7 p.m. Friday. The motorcyclist and a driver of one of the vehicles have serious, but non life-threatening injuries, according to an Anne Arundel County fire spokesman.

The accident closed two lanes along the highway, according to Maryland State Police.

Brooklyn Park:

A 91-year-old man riding a scooter died after he was hit by a truck Friday afternoon in Brooklyn Park, police said.

Police and fire officials responded to the intersection of Hammonds Lane and Upland Street at about 2:03 p.m. Friday for report of a pedestrian struck. The operator of the scooter, Charles Oliver Fretwell Sr., was taken to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Initial investigation revealed that Fretwell was traveling southbound on and crossing Hammonds Lane when he was struck by a Toyota Tundra being driven by Frank James Hall, 58, of Baltimore. Police said the collision caused Fretwell to be separated from the scooter.

Police said the investigation did not reveal speed to be a factor in the accident and no charges have been made. The traffic section is investigating the accident.

April 28, 2011
Brooklyn Park: Robbery arrest

Police arrested a Brooklyn Park man Thursday in connection with an armed robbery.

Keith Elliott Walker, 41, of Brooklyn Park was arrested and charged him with robbery and related charges.

According to police, officers responded to the Family Dollar located in the 5000 block of Ritchie Highway in Brooklyn Park for a reported armed robbery at about 4:15 p.m. Officers were told that a man held up the store using a handgun and stole money.

Officers searched the area and located Walker in the 900 block of Victory Avenue when police said he threw a black power revolver under a nearby vehicle. Officers recovered the gun and stolen money, police said.

Pasadena:

A woman and man from Glen Burnie were hospitalized after a car accident on Solley Road near Powhatten Beach Road in Pasadena Thursday night, police said.

The driver, 42-year-old Rhonda Lee Kavanagh, and passenger, 24-year-old John Wayne Lucia III, were traveling eastbound on Solley Road at a high speed when Kavanagh lost control, crossed the center line and struck a pole on the westbound side of the roadway, police said. They were removed from the Mini-Cooper by Anne Arundel County Fire and transported to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore in critical condition.

The incident is under investigation by the Traffic Safety Section. Speed, driver error and alcohol appear to be factors in the incident, but there are no charges at this time, police said.

April 27, 2011
Glen Burnie:

A man who barricaded himself into a home on the 100 block of Oak Springs Drive in Glen Burnie was arrested after shooting at two police officers Wednesday.

Michael Sean Puckett of Glen Burnie was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder.

According to police, officers responded to Oak Springs Drive at about 3:45 a.m. for a report of disorderly conduct but found no one. At about 5:10 a.m. officers were called to a nearby residence for a report of shots fired into a home in the 7800 block of Cheverly Lane. Officers determined a residence in the 100 block of Oak Springs Drive as a possible source of the shots, police said.

Shots were fired at two officers as they approached the house and one of the officers returned fire, police said. Officers surrounded the home and then the special operations section and crisis negotiations unit were called to the scene.

According to police, negotiators spoke with Puckett and talked him into surrendering at about 7:45 a.m. and he was taken into custody. He was wearing body armor, police said. Detectives seized an AK-47 type assault rifle and two handguns.

Puckett was taken to the BWMC for an evaluation and was arrested upon his release. The homicide unit is handling the investigation.

April 26, 2011
Brooklyn Park:

A ride in a taxicab eventually led Anne Arundel County Police to the man who they said stole several handguns and a game console from a Brooklyn Park home, police said.

Justin Michael Chaney, 19, of Brooklyn Park was arrested Tuesday and charged with burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property, according to a police press release.

After burglarizing the home on the 200 block of Walton Avenue, Chaney called a cab to take him to 8th Street in Baltimore, said Northern District Platoon Commander Lt. Michael Wisniewski at a Tuesday night meeting at the .

At about 5:30 a.m. Tuesday, officers responded to the home on Walton Avenue for a reported burglary, according to the release. During the investigation, a neighbor told police officers he saw a taxicab leaving the burglarized home, Wisniewski said.

Detectives followed the lead to the 3900 block of 8th Street in Baltimore, where they located Chaney and recovered the stolen property, police said.

Metro Crime Stoppers: If you have information on the above incidents, please call, e-mail or text your tip to Metro Crime Stoppers. A hotline is available 24 hours a day toll-free at 866-7LOCKUP or text "MCS" plus your message to CRIMES (274637).

Phone calls are not recorded and callers remain anonymous. You may also be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.

Regional Editor Stephanie Siegel Burke, Upper Marlboro Editor Marcus Moore and Pasadena Patch Editor Cory Galliher contributed to this report.