LEONARDTOWN, Md. (August 24, 2007) - The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office has been aggressively pursuing drunken drivers, underage drinkers, and aggressive drivers in recent weeks. The department's tactics are wide-sweeping, ranging from saturation patrols to checkpoints to using undercover agents in liquor stores in an attempt to catch minors trying to purchase alcohol.
Between Friday, July 27, and Sunday, July 29, 2007, the department conducted Aggressive Driving Patrols and DWI Saturation Patrols in the northern end of the county. As a result, officers issued 19 citations and 9 warnings for speeding violations, 1 citation for reckless driving, 1 warning for following to closely, 1 citation and 4 warnings for various other traffic infractions, 1 safety equipment repair order and made 1 arrest for driving under the influence of alcohol.
On Saturday, August 4, 2007, the department conducted a DWI Saturation Patrol between the hours of 8:00 p.m. and midnight in the Park Hall and Ridge areas of the county. As a result, 1 citation and 4 warnings for speeding and 1 safety equipment repair order were written. Two subjects were arrested for controlled dangerous substance offenses, and 1 subject was arrested on an outstanding warrant.
On Saturday, August 11, 2007, the department conducted a sobriety checkpoint on Three Notch Road in the area of Loveville Road in Oakville. The operation ran from midnight to 2:00 a.m. and 162 vehicles were checked. Three people were arrested during the checkpoint.
Knute Crivella, 44, of Hollywood was arrested and charged with driving under the influence and driving while impaired by alcohol. Brian McWilliams, 23, of Hollywood was arrested and charged with driving while impaired by alcohol. Joseph Stewart, Jr., 27 of Lexington Park was arrested and charged with driving while impaired by alcohol and driving on a suspended license. A search of Stewart's vehicle revealed a quantity of suspected marijuana and was subsequently charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance in addition to the traffic charges.
Again On Saturday, August 11, 2007, the department conducted a "Cops in Shops" operation between 6:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. Senior Deputy First Class Emory Johnson and Corporal Julian Schwab posed as employees in the Third Base Store in Loveville when Brandon Martin, 19, of Leonardtown entered the store and attempted to purchase a fifth of Bacardi Rum. Martin was issued a citation for misrepresentation of age to obtain an alcoholic beverage from a licensed seller.
The "Cops in Shops" Program is sponsored by the Century Council in which Police Officers, in cooperation with licensed establishments, pose as store employees or customers and help establishment employees identify under aged persons attempting to purchase alcoholic beverages.
On Saturday, August 18, 2007, an undercover underage alcohol compliance operation at the Maryland International Raceway in Budd's Creek was conducted between the hours of 9:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Senior Deputy First Class Emory Johnson, Senior Deputy First Class Andrew Holton and Corporal Mark Clark manned the undercover operation. Mark Nalborczyk, 19, of Bryan's Road and Guy Wedding, 19, of Welcome, Md., were cited for possession of an alcoholic beverage by a person under the age of 21.