Police briefs

Friday, Aug. 21, 2009

The driver of a van and two riders on an all-terrain vehicle were flown to a hospital this week, authorities report, after the two vehicles collided at an intersection in the Golden Beach community.

The Kawasaki ATV driven by Michael Walther, 23, of Mechanicsville went past a stop sign and entered Golden Beach Road from a side road at about 8:16 p.m. Monday, and into the path of an eastbound 1998 Ford Windstar driven by 82-year-old Howard Thomas Boarman, also of Mechanicsville, St. Mary's sheriff's deputies report.

The ATV carrying Walther and passenger Robert Blake, 27, of Montgomery Village went off the road and overturned, throwing both riders from the vehicle, sheriff's deputies report. A pair of Maryland State Police helicopter crews responded and flew the van's driver and the two ATV riders to the Prince George's Hospital Center.

Walther and Blake remained in a critical-care ward at the hospital on Wednesday. Boarman was discharged from the hospital Wednesday to return home.

Woman charged with burglary, assault

Amy Roberta Fitzgerald, 37, of Lexington Park was released Tuesday on personal recognizance after her arrest on court papers alleging she broke into a Patuxent Park home and slapped an occupant in the face.

Fitzgerald was charged with first-degree burglary from the incident last Sunday on Ranger Road and committing a second-degree assault on Tamara E. Higgs, through the investigation by sheriff's Cpl. Patrick Handy.

Charging papers also allege that Fitzgerald resisted being arrested by sheriff's Lt. Christopher Medved by refusing to be handcuffed until she was subdued on the ground.

Drug suspect indicted

A judge ordered Monday that Dexter Allen Gantt, 22, of Lexington Park be held in jail in lieu of a $750 cash bond after his arrest on an indictment charging him with distributing marijuana.

Grand jurors also charged Gantt with the possession of marijuana through the August 2008 investigation in Lexington Park by St. Mary's narcotics detectives.

Fire at fish tank burns home

An accidental fire starting at the water pump of a fish tank caused $75,000 damage Thursday morning to a Leonardtown area home and its contents, authorities report, about an hour after electrical service lost during a storm was restored.

Forty-five Leonardtown, Hollywood, 7th District and 2nd District volunteer firefighters responding to a 4 a.m. alarm battled the blaze at the home of Carol Wilfong and Kenneth Barwis on Abell's Wharf Road for an hour to bring it under control, according to a notice of investigation by deputy state fire marshal Don Brenneman.

The home's electrical power went out during Wednesday night's storm, the fire marshal's office reports, and about one hour after service was restored, the home's smoke alarms sounded and the fire was discovered.

Firefighters confined the blaze to the home's game room, and the house remained habitable after the blaze. No injuries were reported.

Police Tips Line open

Maryland State Police in Leonardtown operate a Tips Line at 301-475-2936, inviting anyone with information about a crime that has occurred, or they expect may occur, to anonymously report that information 24 hours a day to authorities.

Citizens may use the same telephone number to report concerns to police that do not involve criminal activity.

jwharton@somdnews.com