NEWBURG, Md. - According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, on Dec. 1. at 6:05 p.m., officers responded to a residence in the 9900 block of Clifton Drive in Newburg for the report of the sound of gunshots.
At 6:12 p.m., as officers were responding to the first call, the Sheriff’s Office received another 911 call from another resident on Clifton Drive who said his son was firing a shotgun into the woods. Officers arrived on the scene and established a perimeter around the woods where the man was hiding.
A Maryland State Police helicopter responded to the area to conduct an aerial search. The helicopter crew located the suspect and Sheriff’s officers took him into custody.
He was identified as Michael Gerard Benedict, 32, of Newburg.
Several shots struck the interior and exterior of the victim’s residence, but she was not injured.
The police's investigation revealed that the incident is the result of a dispute between Benedict and the victim, who are neighbors. The victim and her husband have peace orders against Benedict barring him from contacting them and from entering their residence.
Benedict was charged with reckless endangerment, first- and second-degree assault, malicious destruction of property valued at more than $500, disorderly conduct and failure to comply with a peace order.
Officer T. Yates investigated.