LA PLATA, Md. - The La Plata Barrack of the Maryland State Police (MSP) today released the following incident and arrest reports.
HIGH SPEED PURSUIT/RECOVERED STOLEN PROPERTY:
On February 23, 2007, at approximately 11:47 a.m., TFC W. Shelton, of the Maryland State Police, La Plata Barrack, Charles County, Maryland conducted a traffic stop on northbound Route 5 at Substation Road on a black Toyota for a speeding violation. As TFC Shelton approached the stopped vehicle, he recognized the vehicle matched the description of a Toyota given in an earlier lookout for a suspect vehicle involved in several burglaries that Charles County Sheriff’s Office was currently investigating. The operator of the vehicle accelerated from the shoulder and a chase ensued. The chase covered a distance of 12 miles where the operator of the vehicle violated numerous traffic laws.
The pursuit ended at U.S. Route 301 and Frank Tippett Road, Cheltenham, Prince George’s County, Maryland, where the operator failed to negotiate a turn and crashed. The operator, James Ralph Walker, 26 years of Forestville, Maryland was arrested and a search of the vehicle incident to the arrest revealed the stolen property from the aforementioned burglaries at which time the passenger, Lawrence Kurtell White, 21 years of Oxon Hill, Maryland was also arrested. The arrest recovered the stolen property of ten victims of burglaries to their automobiles.
DRUG ARRESTS:
On February 22, 2007, at 1640 hours, Trooper J. Wiersma #5057 was on routine patrol traveling northbound Route 5, south of Bryantown Road, Charles County Maryland. He observed the driver of a maroon Toyota Camry, displaying Maryland registration not wearing a seat belt. Trooper Wiersma initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver was identified by his driver’s license as Jonathan A. Thompson, 21 years of Waldorf, Maryland. The driver and both of his passengers appeared to be nervous. The driver was issued a citation which he acknowledged and signed.
Trooper Wiersma then asked the driver for consent to search the vehicle. The driver agreed. While the driver was signing the form Consent to Search and Seizure, the right front passenger of the vehicle made a furtive movement to the center ash tray console grabbing an object. Trooper Wiersma had the passenger place his hands on the roof of the vehicle. In his left hand Trooper Wiersma discovered one partially burnt marijuana blunt. The passenger was identified as Marsellis L. Ledwell, 18, years of Waldorf. The second passenger was identified as Michael Andrew Mitchell, 21 years of Waldorf. A search incident to arrest revealed one small plastic baggie containing trace amounts of marijuana which was located in the center ashtray console of the vehicle. When asked who the CDS belonged to, all occupants of the vehicle denied knowledge of the CDS. All three occupants were arrested for possession of CDS/Marijuana and CDS/paraphernalia.
DRUG ARRESTS:
On February 27, 2007, at 0150 hours, TFC J. Edelen #0633 was on routine patrol traveling southbound U.S. Route 301 at Route 228, Waldorf, Charles County Maryland. He observed a gold Honda, displaying Maryland registration with a window tint violation. Trooper Edelen initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle. The driver was identified by his driver’s license as Damian Brent Wilson Jr., 18 years of Waldorf, Maryland, and the passenger Amadi Chidd Reid, who identified himself verbally. Reid was later identified by his fingerprints as Kedar Hasmell Reid, 33 years of Waldorf, Maryland.
While speaking with the driver, TFC Edelen observed he was very nervous. TFC Edelen requested a K-9 respond to the scene to conduct a K-9 scan. Corporal Brown and K-9 responded to the scene. A scan on the vehicle was conducted which indicated a positive alert to the presence of narcotics. A search incident to arrest revealed a clear bag containing 15.2 grams of marijuana on the passenger floorboard. Wilson and Reid were placed under arrest for possession of marijuana. A secondary search at the barrack uncovered a small clear bag containing 1.4 grams of marijuana, and two Ziploc baggies weighing 8.9 grams of marijuana. Both subjects were charged with possession of marijuana and possession of paraphernalia. Reid was also charged with False Statement to a Police Officer.