LEONARDTOWN, Md. (October 2, 2012)—The St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office released the following incident and arrest reports.
OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING: On September 29 at approximately 1:56 a.m., deputies were called to the 2300 block of Sugar Maple Court in California for a report of a disturbance. Upon arrival the deputies were confronted by Stephen Robert Wycoff, 39, of California. A violent struggle ensued between the deputies and the suspect. Corporal Michael George, a nine-year veteran assigned to the Special Operations Division of the Sheriff's Office, discharged his firearm. Wycoff was pronounced dead on the scene. Corporal George was transported to a local hospital where he was treated and released. Detectives from the St. Mary's Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, Office of Professional Responsibilities responded to the scene. Corporal George has been placed on routine administrative leave pending the outcomes of both investigations.
DRUG ARREST - MARIJUANA: On September 28 at approximately 10:50 p.m., deputies responded to Town Creek Elementary School for a report of a suspicious vehicle. Upon arrival deputies contacted Nicholas Blain Hutsell, 19 of California. Initial investigation revealed the possibility of a controlled dangerous substance in the vehicle. A drug detection K-9 responded to the scene and Hutsell was asked to exit the driver's door so the K-9 could scan the vehicle. As Hutsell exited the vehicle suspected marijuana fell from the vehicle onto the ground. Hutsell was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance - suspected marijuana.
4TH DEGREE BURGLARY, DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: On September 29 at approximately 2:15 a.m., deputies responded to a residence on Chancellors Run Court in Great Mills for a report of a burglary. Upon arrival, deputies met with the complaint who advised an earlier unwanted guest, Dionta Quantiaus Taylor, 25 of Great Mills, had been asked to leave his residence, but later returned and used a ladder to come though his apartment window. The complainant advised he had not given Taylor permission to enter his residence and Taylor was still inside of his residence. Deputies made contact with Taylor and advised him he was under arrest for 4th degree burglary. Taylor was handcuffed and placed in the deputy's vehicle. Taylor kicked and shattered the window to the cruiser. Taylor was charged with 4th degree burglary and destruction of property.
FALSE STATEMENT TO A POLICE OFFICER: On October 1, deputies responded to a hit and run motor vehicle collision on Spring Valley Drive in Lexington Park. Upon arrival deputies discovered a 1997 Mitsubishi Mirage with Maryland registration abandoned in the roadway. The Mitsubishi had struck a Dodge truck which was parked. Witness reported a thin, African American woman removed a small child from the Mitsubishi and fled after the collision. As deputies were investigating the collision, St. Mary's County Emergency Communication received and dispatched a call for a carjacking. The complainant, Tiffany Eleanor Greene, 25, of Mechanicsville, was the owner of the Mitsubishi involved in the hit and run collision. Tiffany Greene matched the description of the woman who had fled the accident scene. Ms. Greene reported to the emergency communications center that she had been assaulted and her vehicle stolen. Deputies contacted Greene. Further investigation revealed Greene had falsely reported the assault and stolen vehicle. Greene was arrested and charged with fleeing the scene of a property damage accident, driving under the influence of alcohol and false statement to a police officer.
SECOND DEGREE ASSAULT: On September 28, deputies responded to a residence on Windsor Drive in Lexington Park for a report of a domestic disturbance. Investigation revealed Lakeshia Diane Briscoe, 36, of Lexington Park, was involved in a verbal dispute with the victim which escalated into a physical assault when Briscoe kicked, slapped and scratched the victim. Briscoe was arrested and charged with second degree assault.
VIOLATION OF A PROTECTIVE ORDER: On September 19, Andrew Michael Degroat, 20 of Ridge, was served with a Temporary Protective Order commanding that he have no contact with the petitioner of the order. On September 28, Degroat violated the conditions of the order by contacting the petitioner in person. Degroat was arrested and charged with violating the conditions of a protective order.
MALICIOUS DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: On September 19, St. Mary's County Emergency Communications Center broadcast a lookout for a white male carrying a backpack. The male was placing graffiti stickers on road signs along Hollywood Road in Leonardtown. Cpl. M. Smolarsky arrived in the area and located a male matching the lookout description. The male fled on foot but was located a short time later and identified as William Harvey Butcher III, 20 of Hollywood. Further investigation revealed Butcher had placed U.S. Postal Priority Mail stickers, with the word "Tumone" written in various colors, on several signs along Hollywood Road. Butcher was arrested and charged with several counts of malicious destruction of property.
SOBRIETY CHECKPOINT & SATURATION PATROL: On September 14, the Sheriff's Office conducted a Sobriety Checkpoint in the area of Mervell Dean Road and Joy Chapel Road in Hollywood. In addition to the sobriety checkpoint, saturation patrols were being conducted so the roadways surrounding the checkpoint. As a result of the sobriety checkpoint and saturation patrol, the following actions were taken:
Thirty-three traffic stops were conducted, two individuals were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol, seventeen traffic citations issued, eleven written warnings were issued, seven verbal warnings issued, seven equipment repair orders issued and one vehicle was towed and stored.
During the operation Cpl. J. Stone stopped a vehicle for speeding on Mervell Dean Road in California. The operator, identified as Daniel Wayne Todd, 31, of Clements, displayed signs of intoxication. Cpl. Stone administered a standardized field sobriety test to Todd. As a result of the test, Todd was placed under arrest for driving while under the influence of alcohol.
During the Sobriety Checkpoint Major J. Horne was off-duty and observed a 2007 Silver Toyota sedan being operated unsafely near Rue Purchase Road and Three Notch Road in California. Major Horne conducted a traffic stop and contacted the operator, identified as Brandon Maurice Somerville, 23, of Mechanicsville. Somerville exhibited signs of intoxication. Cpl. James Stone responded to the traffic stop and administered a standardized field sobriety test to Somerville. As a result of the test Somerville was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol.
Disclaimer: In the U.S.A., all persons accused of a crime by the State are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. See:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presumption_of_innocence . Additionally, all of the information provided above is solely from the perspective of the respective law enforcement agency and does not provide any direct input from the accused or persons otherwise mentioned.