Police briefs

Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2009

Barn fire blamed on stove

State fire investigators report that a malfunction in a wood stove caused an accidental fire resulting in the $185,000 loss of a barn and its contents last Thursday on New Market Turner Road in Mechanicsville.

Thirty Mechanicsville, Hollywood, 7th District, Hughesville and Benedict volunteer firefighters responding to a 5:24 p.m. alarm battled the blaze in Mike Murray's barn for an hour to bring it under control, according to a notice of investigation by deputy state fire marshal Sander Cohen. Mechanicsville Assistant Fire Chief John Raley reported that the barn was used for fiberglass refinishing, and that a recently completed boat was inside the structure. Numerous other boats also were on the premises.

Teen robbery suspect held

A judge ordered Friday that John Anthony Deahl, 19, of Fairmont, W.Va., remain jailed without bond on a charge of armed robbery in court papers alleging he took money from a pizza deliveryman at gunpoint. St. Mary's detectives determined that Mitchell Hedlund was delivering a pizza to a Great Mills home on the night of Oct. 21, court papers state, when an assailant pointed a handgun at him and demanded money. A suspect who admitted orchestrating the robbery identified Deahl as a participant in carrying out the robbery, according to a charges application filed by detective Cpl. Robert Merritt.

Drug arrests reported

Darren Tyrone Bush, 31, of Callaway was released on $5,000 bond after his arrest earlier this month on an indictment alleging he distributed cocaine in July 2008 in Lexington Park. St. Mary's narcotics detectives allege that Bush was part of a drug network, and that additional members of the organization previously have been charged.

In a separate matter, a judge ordered that John Frederick Miller III, 45, of California be jailed in lieu of $10,000 bond on indictments charging him with twice distributing cocaine last January in Leonardtown.

Also, Roy David Snyder, 20, of Baltimore was released last Thursday on personal recognizance after his arrest on an indictment charging him with the possession of marijuana last February and the possession with the intent to distribute. Narcotics detectives report that the charges stemmed from their recovery of packaged marijuana.

Also, Tyreke D. Butler, 18, of Lexington Park was released Thursday on personal recognizance after his arrest on misdemeanor drug and paraphernalia possession charges, and in the altering of the ID number on a handgun. Detectives report that the teenager was arrested through a raid at a Great Mills home that recovered cocaine, paraphernalia, a scale, packaging materials and the .38-caliber weapon with an obliterated serial number.

Reward offered in burglary

Law officers in St. Mary's are seeking the public's help through the county Crime Solvers program in their probe of the theft of about $279 and a bank bag during a burglary reported Dec. 7 at Patuxent Habitat for Humanity on South Coral Drive in Lexington Park.

Citizens with information about this case and other crimes can collect a cash reward by calling Crime Solvers 24 hours a day at 301-475-3333.

JOHN WHARTON