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 9, 2011
Glen Burnie:

A Glen Burnie man died Saturday after he lost control of the car he was driving and struck a tree on Scott Avenue, police said.

Herbert Leroy Brandford, 66, was taken to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore where he died of his injuries, police said.

According to police, Brandford was driving south on Scott Avenue in Glen Burnie toward Cooper Road when traffic safety investigators say he lost control of the Corvette he was driving and struck a tree.

There was a juvenile passenger in the car who was uninjured and released at the scene, police said.

An investigation into the cause and contributing factors of the accident were still being investigated Monday morning, police said.

May 5, 2011
Brooklyn Park: Armed robbery

A 45-year-old Brooklyn Park man was robbed at knifepoint Thursday as he was walking in the area of Townsend Avenue.

According to police, who responded to the area at about 12:33 p.m., two men approached the victim, one displaying a knife, and ordered him to give them property. The man told them he had nothing of value and attempted to walk away, but was hit in the back of the head by an unknown object, police said.

The men began to search the victim’s clothing and took an undisclosed amount of money and ran toward Alley 7.

The victim was taken to Harbor Hospital to be treated for minor injuries. Police searched the area but were unable to locate the men.

May 4, 2011
Glen Burnie:

A 54-year-old woman was taken to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore Wednesday after she was hit by a school bus at about 7:40 a.m. in the 1400 block of Furnace Avenue in Glen Burnie.

Vicki Lynn Whitehead of Glen Burnie, who is a crossing guard for , was listed in serious but stable condition as of 1:20 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Representatives from Shock Trauma did not immediately return a call requesting an update on Whitehead’s status, but sources said she was still in the hospital as of Tuesday morning.

According to police, the crossing guard entered the crosswalk to help a student cross the street around the same time the school bus driven by Linda Smith Grant, 53, of Glen Burnie, was traveling northbound on Sunny Brook Drive and stopped at the stop sign at the intersection with Furnace Avenue.

Police said evidence leads them to believe Grant then made a left turn and struck Whitehead, who was about halfway across Furnace Avenue in the crosswalk. Police have preliminarily determined the cause of the crash to be failure to yeild by Grant. Neither speed nor alcohol was determined to be a factor.

There were four students on the bus at the time and none were injured in the accident, nor was the driver, according to schools spokesman Bob Mosier. He added that there were three students walking in the area of the accident when it occurred who "in all likeliness witnessed the accident."

"The school is working with the students and their families to make sure they have the support they need," Mosier said.

The traffic safety division of the Anne Arundel County Police Department is continuing to investigate the accident, said spokesman Justin Mulcahy.

May 3, 2011
Glen Burnie: Robbery

A 48-year-old woman was robbed at her home in the 400 block of Bousch Place in Glen Burnie May 3 after a man posing as a utility worker knocked on her door and said he was checking for a possible gas leak.

Officers responded to the woman’s home at about 10:20 a.m. where they learned that once the suspect was inside, he robbed the homeowner at gunpoint. According to police, the suspect told the woman that he was familiar with her family and their business. Witnesses told police the man got into a dark gray Honda sedan, which was parked on a nearby street.

Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the man.

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.