LA PLATA, Md. (October 25, 2007) - The Charles County Sheriff's Department this week released the following incident and arrest reports.
VEHICLE CRASH: On Oct. 21 at 9:20 a.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the 9900 block of Dubois Road in Charlotte Hall for the report of a vehicle crash. Upon arrival, officers discovered the vehicle had overturned and its occupant was trapped and unconscious. Firefighters extricated the driver, a 16-year-old La Plata girl, and a Maryland State Police helicopter transported her to the University of Maryland R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore, where she remains in critical condition. Investigation revealed the vehicle left the roadway and the driver over-corrected the error. The vehicle subsequently left the roadway again and struck a tree. Driver inexperience and speed were factors in the crash. She was wearing a seatbelt. Officer W. Saunders is investigating.
ARMED CARJACKING: On Oct. 22 at 10:47 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the 10500 block of Sugarberry Street in Waldorf for the report of an armed carjacking. Investigation revealed an 18-year-old Waldorf woman was exiting her vehicle when she was approached by three male suspects who brandished a handgun and demanded money. The victim complied and the suspects then entered her vehicle and fled the scene. Officers, including a K9 team, searched the area and located the vehicle at the corner of Sugarberry Street and Sourwood Avenue. The suspects were not located. They are described only as black males wearing black clothing. They were wearing hoods and their faces were covered by cloth. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Charles County Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-7777 or Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Officer J. Rager is investigating.
PROPERTY DESTRUCTION: Sometime between 8 p.m. Oct. 18 and 4:45 a.m. Oct. 19, suspect(s) shattered windows of five vehicles parked in the lot of an apartment complex in the 2000 block of St. Thomas Drive in Waldorf and stole items, including a GPS system. They also damaged the locks on one of the vehicles and entered an unlocked vehicle and stole money. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact the Charles County Sheriff’s Office at 301-932-7777 or Charles County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS. Officer J. Foster is investigating.
THEFT: On Oct. 22 at 2:19 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to the St. Charles Towne Center at 11110 Mall Circle in Waldorf for a report of a theft. While en route, officers received a lookout for a green Nissan occupied by two males who had run from the mall after stealing jewelry from the Silver and Gold Connection kiosk. Officers located the vehicle leaving the county and stopped it on Route 301 near Cedarville Road. Suring a search of the vehicle, officers discovered the stolen jewelry, which was valued at more than $500. The three suspects, a 15-year-old boy, a 16-year-old boy and a 16-year-old girl, all from Prince George’s County, were charged and released to their parents. Officer C. Walden investigated.
RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT: On Oct. 22 at 1:09 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to a parking lot in the 3000 block of Waldorf Market Place in Waldorf for the report of a baby left unattended in a vehicle. Officers arrived and found a six-week old girl had been left unattended in a black BMW. Officers identified the owner of the vehicle as the infant’s mother, Chi Suk Wallace, 36, of Waldorf, and found her inside a store. Wallace was arrested and charged with reckless endangerment and confining an unattended child. She was being held at the Charles County Detention Center pending an appearance before a district court commissioner. The baby was unharmed and was being cared for by the Department of Social Services. Officer P. Hood investigated.
THEFT: On Oct. 23 at 10:41 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to WaWa located at 4210 Crain Highway near Billingsley Road in Waldorf for the report of an attempted theft that had just occurred. While en route, officers received a call for a theft in progress at the Shell station located at 4705 Crain Highway in White Plains. A lookout was dispatched and Officer L. Payne observed the vehicle traveling south on Crain Highway near Mitchell Road in La Plata. Officer Payne stopped the vehicle and additional officers responded to assist. Investigation revealed the vehicle’s occupants had made a small purchase at Shell and, when the cashier opened the register, they stole money from it and ran. They had attempted the same type of theft at the WaWa several minutes earlier but were unsuccessful. The suspects were identified and arrested. Delvon Louis King, 18, of Waldorf, Kintrella Shanese Harris, 19, of Washington, D.C., and a 17-year old La Plata boy were charged with theft valued at less than $500. King and Harris were being held at the Charles County Detention Center pending an appearance before a district court commissioner. The 17-year-old boy was released to his parents. Sgt. C. Schmidt and Officers J. McGuigan, M. Burrows and Payne investigated.
THEFT: On Oct. 13 at 5 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to Kohl’s located at 11120 Mall Circle in Waldorf for the report of a theft. Investigation revealed Jessica Rose Cline, 19, of Temple Hills and a 17-year-old Waldorf girl concealed clothing items in a bag and attempted to leave the store without paying. Cline and the 17-year-old girl were detained by Kohl’s loss prevention personnel until officers arrived. Both of the accused were charged with theft valued at less than $100 and released. Officer J. Timko investigated.
THEFT: On Oct. 13 at 2:24 p.m., Charles County Sheriff’s officers responded to Kohl’s located at 11120 Mall Circle in Waldorf for the report of a theft. Investigation revealed a 17-year-old Clinton girl concealed clothing items in a shopping bag and attempted to leave the store without paying. Kohl’s loss prevention personnel detained the girl until officers arrived. She was charged with theft valued at less than $500 and was released to her parents. Officer J. Timko investigated.
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The Charles County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the man who they say robbed a Waldorf pharmacy in July. Detectives arrested Hugh Allen McClaugherty, 42, of La Plata on Oct. 22.
The investigation began July 30 when officers responded to Northgate Pharmacy located at 3973 St. Charles Parkway in Waldorf for the report of the armed robbery. Investigation revealed a man had entered the pharmacy, brandished a handgun and demanded prescription medication. Employees complied and the suspect fled in a Nissan Altima. Officers searched the area for the Nissan but neither the suspect nor the vehicle were located.
On Oct. 10, officers were investigating a residential burglary in the La Plata area when they discovered a vehicle with a handgun inside it. Detectives determined the vehicle belonged to McClaugherty, who met with detectives on Oct. 15 about the recovery of the vehicle and the gun. During the meeting, detectives discovered McClaugherty was driving a Nissan Altima with tags that had been altered. As a result, officers executed two search warrants at two residences in the La Plata area which revealed evidence of the robberies.
McClaugherty was charged with armed robbery, robbery, first- and second-degree assault, use of a handgun in commission of a felony and theft valued at more than $500. McClaugherty was being held at the Charles County Detention Center pending an appearance before a district court commissioner. Det. G. Higgs investigated.