LA PLATA, Md. (June 21, 2009) - The La Plata Barrack of the Maryland State Police (MSP) recently released the following incident and arrest reports.
ILLEGAL DRUGS: On June 15, at approximately 11:12 am, Trooper W. Posey was traveling northbound U.S. Route 301, south of Central Avenue when he stopped a gold Cadillac Deville for traveling in the right turn lane, failing to make a turn for more than 100 feet. Trooper Posey made contact with the driver, a 17 year-old male and his passenger, Brenda Theresa Lancaster, age 53, of Suitland. Trooper Posey observed the driver and passenger moving all over inside the vehicle. The driver and passenger were arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance marijuana and paraphernalia.
TROOPER HONORED: On Wednesday, June 10, Trooper First Class Robert F. Lemerise Jr., was honored by the Maryland Law Enforcement Officers, Inc. (M.L.E.O.) at their 74th Annual Merit Awards Ceremony held in Baltimore. TFC Lemerise was selected to receive the Distinguished Service Award for his dedication to ridding Maryland’s highways of drunk and drugged drivers and in particular a heroic event that occurred in August of 2008.
TFC Lemerise led all police officers in the State of Maryland in drunk driver arrests in 2005, 2006, 2007 and was well on his way to continuing this unprecedented accomplishment in 2008 when tragedy struck. On August 15, 2008, at 10:00 PM TFC Lemerise was conducting standardized field sobriety tests on Bel Alton Road at Sparrow Court, Bel Alton, MD. As these tests were being administered a pickup truck struck a passing car at this location. After striking the car, the driver of the pick up lost control, skidding across the roadway. TFC Lemerise heard tires squealing and observed the truck coming at him and the original violator. TFC Lemerise, in a selfless act of heroism, pushed this citizen out of harm’s way leaving him defenseless as the truck continued traveling toward him. The truck hit TFC Lemerise, which catapulted him off the roadway and into the grass.
TFC Lemerise sustained severe leg and kidney injuries. He was flown from the collision by Maryland State Police helicopter to Baltimore Shock Trauma, where he spent 7 days and underwent surgical procedures to his leg and kidney. His injuries were so severe that he was unable to return to work until April of 2009. He continues to receive physical therapy to aid in his recovery.
Thanks to TFC Lemerise’s actions no one else was injured during this incident. Both the driver of the pick up truck and the driver of the original vehicle that TFC Lemerise pulled over were arrested and charged with Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol.
This trooper exemplifies the hard work and dedication to duty that the Maryland State Police has been proud of and that the citizens have come to expect from the great police officers that work all around the State of Maryland.