LEONARDTOWN, Md. (Feb. 5, 2009) - The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office today released the following incident and arrest reports.
FATAL MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION: On Feb. 4 at approximately 1459 hours, a 1994 Ford Explorer driven by Matthew Franklin Cooper, 20, of Cobb Island, was traveling northbound on Mechanicsville Road in the area of Harrow Hills Court. Cooper failed to negotiate a curve, struck a guardrail, went airborne, and struck a tree down a bank. The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office Collision Reconstruction Team is currently conducting the investigation. Speed and driver error are considered to be the primary contributing factors in this collision and alcohol is not. Anyone with information or who may have witnessed this collision is asked to contact DFC. Mike George at 301-475-4200 ext. 2269.
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE: On Feb. 4 the victim and Kevin Ernest Bryant, 42, of Lexington Park, were in a verbal dispute which turned physical when Bryant grabbed the victim and slammed her head into a bed several times. Bryant then shoved the victim to the floor and kicked her in the stomach. A third party separated the couple and the victim called the police. Kevin Bryant fled the residence in a blue 1997 Ford Taurus. While DFC Maletto was at the scene investigating the assault, Deputy Reithmeyer observed the vehicle on Three Notch Road in the area of Buck Hewitt road and stopped it. Deputy Reithmeyer identified the driver as Bryant. Kevin Bryant was arrested for second degree assault.
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA: On Feb. 5 at approximately midnight, DFC Whipkey stopped a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier for a traffic violation at the intersection of Carver School Blvd. and Signature Lane in Lexington Park. While conversing with the driver, Michael Andrew Hall, 21, of Brandywine, DFC Whipkey detected the strong smell of burnt marijuana coming from the vehicle. DFC Whipkey asked Mr. Hall about the odor. As a result of the conversation, DFC Whipkey asked Michael Hall to step out of the vehicle in order to conduct a probable cause search of the vehicle. As Mr. Hall stepped from the vehicle, DFC Whipkey observed a blue glass marijuana pipe in plain view in the map pocket of the driver's door. Hall was placed under arrest. A search of Michael Hall's person revealed a small baggie of suspected marijuana on his person. The passenger of the vehicle, Mary Francis Armstrong, 21, of Lexington Park, was asked to step out of the vehicle so DFC Whipkey could continue with the search. While searching the front passenger area, DFC Whipkey detected the strong odor of marijuana emanating from Ms. Armstrong's purse. A search of her purse revealed another small baggie of suspected marijuana and another glass pipe containing suspect marijuana residue. Both Hall and Armstrong were arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia.