LEONARDTOWN, Md. (November 22, 2012)—The St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations (BCI) released the following incident and arrest reports. BCI is an investigative team comprised of detectives from the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office and the Maryland State Police, Leonardtown Barrack. The unit was established on July 1, 2003 and is based in Leonardtown.
ARREST IN BURGLARIES CASE: Between the dates of September 23 and October 30, patrol units responded to multiple daytime burglaries in the Mechanicsville area. The cases were reviewed during the weekly CompStat meetings and forwarded to BCI for investigation. An investigation by BCI detectives lead to the arrest of Kimberly M. Dove, 27, of Lusby. Dove was charged with 11 counts of First Degree Burglary and incarcerated in the St. Mary's County Detention Center under a $50,000 bond. Additional arrests are pending.
7-11 ROBBERY: On September 16 at approximately 1:20 a.m., police units responded to the 7-11 Store in Mechanicsville for the report of a robbery. Responding officers determined a male subject entered the store, obtained a cup of coffee and approached the counter. As the clerk opened the register the subject threw the cup of hot coffee on the employee and jumped over the counter. A struggle ensued at which time the subject produced a hammer and threatened the clerk. The subject obtained cash from the register and fled the store.
Detectives from BCI responded to the store and assumed the investigation. On September 21, detectives identified the suspect and arrested Daniel W. Kamperin, 21, of Charlotte Hall. Kamperin was charged with Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, 2nd Degree Assault and incarcerated in the St. Mary's County Detention Center. Kamperin was later released after posting a $5,000 bond.
7-11 ROBBERY: On October 9 at 1:10 a.m., police responded to the 7-11 Store in Mechanicsville for the report of an armed robbery. Detectives from BCI responded and assumed the investigation. The store clerk stated a male subject entered the business, armed with a knife and approached the clerk, demanding money and cigarettes. The clerk complied and the suspect exited the business on foot after obtaining an undisclosed amount of U.S. currency and several packs of Newport brand cigarettes. The suspect is described as an African-American male, wearing a mask, dark in color pants and dark in color hooded sweat shirt.
OFFICER INVOLVED SHOOTING UPDATE: 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. The complainant reported hearing yelling coming from the parking lot area of the condominiums.
Corporal Michael George, a nine year veteran of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office and Corporal William Rishel, an eight year veteran of the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office responded to the complaint. Both Corporals are assigned to the Special Operations Division. They were operating marked police vehicles, were dressed in uniform and were the only two deputies on the scene. Upon arrival the Corporals were confronted by Stephen Robert Wycoff, 39, of California. A violent struggle ensued between the deputies and the suspect. Corporal George discharged his firearm fatally wounding Wycoff.
Corporal George and Corporal Rishel were transported to St. Mary's Hospital where they were treated for the non-incapacitating injuries received during the confrontation. Both deputies were treated and released from the hospital. Corporal George and Corporal Rishel have been placed on routine administrative leave.
Detectives from BCI and the Sheriff's Office of Professional Responsibilities responded to the scene and continued the investigations.
ROBBERY: On September 30, officers responded to Exploration Drive Lexington Park for the reported robbery. Responding officers located a 53-year-old female victim who advised she was walking to her vehicle when she was approached from behind and struck from behind and repeatedly struck in the face. The victim's purse was stolen and the assailant fled in the victim's vehicle. Officers broadcast a lookout for the vehicle and the victim was transported to a local area trauma center by Maryland State Police helicopter.
The victim's vehicle was located unoccupied behind the Bay District Volunteer Fire Department and witnesses provided a description of the driver. Officers located Patrick Lesean Butler, 19, of Lexington Park, in the area and identified him as the assailant. Detectives with the Bureau of Criminal Investigations responded and assumed the investigation. Butler was transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center where he was charged with Robbery; Assault Second Degree; Theft - Motor Vehicle; and Theft Under $100. Butler was incarcerated in lieu of $250,000 bond.
PIZZA DELIVERY ROBBERY ARREST: On September 9 at approximately 2:55 p.m., police units responded to an apartment complex in California for the report of an attempted armed robbery of a pizza delivery person. Responding officers determined a male subject approached the victim, armed with a handgun and demanded the pizzas from the victim. The victim refused, fled in his vehicle and the suspect fled on foot to the rear of the complex.
Detectives from BCI assumed the investigation. On September 26, detectives identified the suspect and arrested Bababo O. Obaro, 17, of White Plains. Bababo was charged as an adult with Armed Robbery and incarcerated in the St. Mary's County Detention Center under no bond. Additional arrests are pending.
PLAZA BOOKS ROBBERY ARREST: On September 13 at approximately 9:20 p.m., police units responded to Plaza Books in Lexington Park for the report of an armed robbery. Responding officers determined two male subjects entered the store, armed with handguns and demanded money from the victim. The victim provided one suspect with proceeds from the business. The second suspect stole property of the business and both suspects fled the store on foot.
Detectives from BCI responded to the store and assumed the investigation. Detectives identified one suspect as Dontevious T. Dorsey, 19, of Lexington Park, and an arrest warrant was obtained. On September 25, patrol units located Dorsey and placed him under arrest. Dorsey was charged with Armed Robbery, 1st Degree Assault, Theft $1,000-$10,000 and incarcerated in the St. Mary's County Detention Center under a $10,000 bond. The second suspect involved in the robbery remains at large.
TACKLE BOX ROBBERY: On October 27 at 1:30 a.m., police responded to the Tackle Box located in Lexington Park for an intrusion alarm. Arriving police units observed the business had been burglarized and several guns had been stolen. Detectives from BCI responded and assumed the investigation. During the investigation it was determined two unknown suspects dressed in dark clothing and masks had created a hole in the cinderblock wall, made entry to the business, removed an undisclosed number of handguns from the business and fled the area by unknown means.
HIGH SPEED PURSUIT: On November 3 at approximately 5:40 p.m., a deputy with the with the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office observed a white GMC Jimmy traveling in excess of 100 MPH on Rt. 5 in Leonardtown. The deputy was operating a marked police vehicle and attempted to stop the GMC. The operator of the GMC did not stop and continued to drive recklessly at a high rate of speed. The GMC drove erratically and endangered the lives of other motorists on the roadway. During the lengthy pursuit, the driver attempted to ram a marked police vehicle and two deputies fired their weapons at the GMC. The vehicle pursuit ended in the area of Rt. 5 and Charlotte Hall School Rd. in Charlotte Hall. The driver was taken into custody without further incident and identified as Teddy Natel Ragan Jr., 44 of Mechanicsville. Ragan was arrested, transported to the St. Mary's County Detention Center and charged with Assault First Degree; Fleeing and Eluding; Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol; Driving While Impaired by Alcohol; Reckless Driving; and Speeding (105 Mph in a posted 50 Mph Zone). Additional charges are pending a review with the State's Attorney's Office.
Detectives from the St. Mary's County Bureau of Criminal Investigations and the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office, Office of Professional Responsibilities (Internal Affairs) continue to investigate the incident. The deputies were placed on routine administrative leave following the discharge of their firearms.
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: http://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.