Police briefs

Friday, Oct. 30, 2009

Burglary suspect accused of art theft at Leonardtown home

A judge ordered this week that David Carroll Gass, 49, remain jailed in lieu of $300,000 bond on charging papers alleging he broke into his former wife's home and stole a painting valued at about $50,000.

Gass also was charged with violating a protective order to stay away from the residence, and with damaging a door frame during the Oct. 22 incident at Erin Kathleen Shoemaker's home in Leonardtown.

The framed original painting by Robert Wyland was assigned joint ownership in the pair's divorce agreement, court papers state, and a witness later told police that he had seen a wrapped painting while helping the suspect move furniture into a storage unit in Leonardtown. Police raided two storage units at the facility and found the painting and a vacuum cleaner also reported missing from the woman's residence, according to a statement of probable cause filed by St. Mary's detective R.D. McCoy.

Police continue investigation of fatal accident in Hermanville

St. Mary's sheriff's deputies are continuing their investigation of a two-vehicle crash Tuesday on Route 235 in Hermanville that killed a Lexington Park man and injured a woman in the other vehicle.

Charles Henry Wills Jr., 42, died when the southbound 1990 Honda Civic he was driving crossed the highway's centerline at about 7 a.m. that day, sheriff's deputies report, and collided with a northbound 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer driven by 65-year-old Elizabeth Parish of Lexington Park.

Parish was taken to St. Mary's Hospital, sheriff's deputies report, where she received initial treatment for injuries that first responders described as non-life threatening.

Sheriff's Cpl. Douglas Mills has requested that anyone witnessing the accident contact him at 301-475-4200, ext. 1984.

Lexington Park teenager indicted on drug charges

Michael K. Fitzpatrick, 19, of Lexington Park has been released on $5,000 bond after grand jurors indicted him on charges including the possession of marijuana with the intent to distribute and six traffic offenses including attempting to elude police.

Initial charging papers allege that Fitzpatrick led police on a chase on Great Mills Road on May 15 that ended when the Mercury car he was driving crashed into a ditch, and law officers discovered in its trunk a large plastic bag holding smaller plastic bags of marijuana.

Reward offered in probe of vandalism along Maddox Road

Law officers in St. Mary's are seeking the public's help through the county Crime Solvers program in their probe of paintball damages earlier this month to 20 roadside signs, causing a $2,400 loss, along Maddox Road between Chaptico and Bushwood.

Citizens with information about this case and other crimes in St. Mary's County can collect a cash reward by calling Crime Solvers 24 hours a day at 301-475-3333. They can withhold their name and later collect their reward through a number-identification system.

St. Mary's County Crime Solvers is a nonprofit organization that assists law enforcement in solving open investigations that may not have been closed without the extra incentive of anonymity and an offer of a reward of up to $2,000, providing the information leads to an arrest or indictment.

The Crime Solvers board of directors meets for about one hour on the second Thursday of every other month at 7:30 p.m., in the conference room of the sheriff's office at 23150 Leonard Hall Drive in Leonardtown. To be considered for membership on the board, attend a meeting or call the sheriff's office at 301-475-8008.

jwharton@somdnews.com