OFFICE of the SHERIFF for QUEEN ANNE’S COUNTY
PRESS RELEASES
If you have information on any of the cases below you are asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at (410) 758-0770 or email at sheriff-info@qac.org
INCIDENT: Theft
DATE / TIME: 08/15/2014 @ 1234 Hours
LOCATION: 200 Block of Legion Road, Milllington, MD
VICTIM: Robert A. Donaldson of Millington
ARREST: Chantell Christine Cruz (39) of Worton, MD.
CHARGE:
NARRATIVE: Victim reported that he had towed and repaired Ms. Cruz’s 2003 Malibu at her request. Mr. Donaldson stated he had replaced the engine and various parts and that the bill came to $1100. When Ms. Cruz came to pick up the car, she requested to take the car for a test drive prior to payment. Ms. Cruz then drove off and failed to return to pay the bill. When contacted by phone Ms. Cruz allegedly refused payment.
Charges were applied for by Sgt. Johnston after attempts to resolve the matter were made. On 8/22/2014 Chantelle Cruz was served an Arrest Warrant charging her with Theft Scheme.
DEPUTY: Sgt. Earl “Duke” Johnston
ASSIST: Dfc. S. Fraser
CASE: 14-26550
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INCIDENT: Domestic Arrest
DATE / TIME: 08/15/2014 @ 1249 Hours
LOCATION: 200 Block of Hess Road, Grasonville
VICTIM: Devan C. Smith of Grasonville
ARREST: Zineb Ghouraf (26) of Grasonville
CHARGE: Assault
NARRATIVE: Deputies were called to the location for a domestic assault involving a husband and wife. The male at the residence had multiple cuts on his arms and a contusion on his left cheek bone. He stated that his wife had thrown several items at him, that she had a knife and had also struck him with her fist. No injuries were noted on the female party and she was placed under arrest.
DEPUTY: Deputy Kevin Fleck
ASSIST:
CASE: 14-26551
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INCIDENT: Burglary
DATE / TIME: 08/15/2014 @ 1500 Hours (Reported)
LOCATION: 100 Block of Somerset Court, Queenstown
VICTIM: Jane E. Labrie of Queenstown
NARRATIVE: Victim advised she had been away between June 24th to August 15th and upon returning home found her 2’x2’ safe, jewelry and change missing. Other family members were at the residence during the time period but had not noticed anything out of place. No forced entry point was located.
Items missing in addition to the safe was assorted personal documents, a man’s platinum wedding band, a Cal Ripken signed baseball, various family jewelry and a ladies wedding ring with a ½K teardrop diamond. Items stolen were valued at $10,500.
DEPUTY: Deputy Patrick Sellers
CASE: 14-26560
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INCIDENT: Burglary / Assault
DATE / TIME: 08/16/2014 @ 0230 Hours
LOCATION: 321 Wells Cove Road, Grasonville
NARRATIVE: It was reported that several men were asleep on a docked boat when two or three other subjects boarded and began to strike two of the subjects with their fists and yelling derogatory names. When others on the boat awoke along with two Great Danes the attackers fled. The victims were unable to identify the intruders and were not fully cooperative.
The scene was processed for fingerprints and blood samples and the incident is being investigated as a hate crime.
DEPUTY: Dfc. Jason Rickard
ASSIST: Deputy Brad Martz
CASE: 14-26621
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INCIDENT: Burglary
DATE / TIME: 08/16/2014 @ 1237 Hours
LOCATION: 2300 Block of Barclay Road, Barclay
VICTIM: James F. Archey of Barclay
NARRATIVE: Victim reported going to his shed and found that his TYM T 293 tractor with a front end loader was gone along with a Stihl 216 chainsaw and a Weed Eater string trimmer. The tractor was valued at $15,000 with the chainsaw and trimmer valued at $150.
Several hours later, the victim advised his tractor had been located in a weeded area near Dixon Tavern Road and Busic Church Road. The tractor was intact other than the front bucket valued at $500 being removed.
DEPUTY: Deputy Joey Timms
CASE: 14-26664
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INCIDENT: MDOP
DATE / TIME: 08/17/2014 @ 0846 Hours
LOCATION: 300 block of William Way, Stevensville
VICTIM: George K. Braniecki of Stevensville
ARREST: See Narrative
NARRATIVE: Victim reported finding the center console in his Jeep CJ-7 damaged. It appeared if someone had attempted to drill the lock during the night. Damage was estimated at $25.
During a canvas of the neighborhood, one of the subjects interviewed was found to be wanted on a local warrant. Daniel Joseph Boss was placed under arrest for Violation of Probation on a CDS Charge and held on No Bond.
DEPUTY: Deputy Kevin Fleck
CASE: 14-26750
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INCIDENT: Theft from Vehicle
DATE / TIME: 08/17/2014 @ 1700 Hours
LOCATION: Terrapin Park, Log Canoe Circle, Stevensville
VICTIM: Kevin E. Gray of Germantown, MD.
NARRATIVE: Victim reported visiting Terrapin Park with his wife leaving their car in the parking lot. When they returned to the car they found a window smashed out and Mr. Gray’s wallet with credit cards and $70 cash missing.
When the victim called to cancel his credit cards, he learned that there had been an unauthorized charge at a local gas station. A check of the security video showed a male getting gas in a white vehicle pump farthest from the camera.
DEPUTY: Deputy Kevin Fleck
CASE: 14-26796
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INCIDENT: BURGLARY
LOCATION: 100 Block of Fairview Avenue, Chestertown, (QA)
DATE / TIME: 08/17/2014 @ 1903 Hours
VICTIM: Kin Kue Wun of Chestertown
ARRESTS: Joshua John McGrath (18) of Chestertown (QA)
Christopher Steven McGrath (19) of Chestertown (QA)
Male (16) of Chestertown (QA)
Male (15) of Chestertown (Kent)
Male (15) of Worton, MD (Kent)
Male (15) of Chestertown (QA)
CHARGES: Burglary – Theft – MDOP
NARRATIVE: Deputies were in the area investigating a residential burglary at a foreclosed house. Deputies found signs of forced entry, a lot of damage to the interior and assorted trash indicating someone had stayed there for an extended period of time.
While there a second call was dispatched for a possible burglary of another vacant house on Fairview. The caller, a neighbor in the area reported seeing a pizza delivery being made at the residence and knew the house was vacant.
On arrival deputies heard movement in the house and when deputies announced their presence, several persons attempted to flee out the rear door and were confronted by one of the deputies who had them go back inside. During this time one subject fled thru a window. Five subjects were detained, two adults and three juveniles. The owner of the residence was contacted and advised no one was to be in the house. Deputies found a door had been forced open and some damage to the interior including a smoke alarm ripped from a wall. Also property from a third burglary of a shed was located in the house, including a “lock-out bar” was seized.
Interviews of the suspect resulted in the identification of the sixth subject who had fled. Deputies responded to his residence and took him into custody. All suspects were transported to Sheriff’s Headquarters for processing and charges. All juveniles were referred to Juvenile Services and later released to parents.
The McGraths went before a District Court Commissioner who held Joshua McGrath on a $30,000 bail and Christopher McGrath on no bail.
DEPUTY: Deputy Kevin Parks
ASSIST: Sgt. Earl “Duke” Johnston
CASE: 14-26805
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INCIDENT: Theft
DATE / TIME: 08/17/2014 @ 2017 Hours
LOCATION: Crumpton
VICTIM: Bradley Papilon and William Elborn of Crumpton
NARRATIVE: Both victims reported the theft of gas tanks from boats while parked in their yards. Bradley Papilon on Andrew Court is missing a small red fuel tank valued at $80. William Elborn on 2nd Street is missing a 12 gallon tank valued at $200. In both incidents the fuel lines were cut and occurred sometime in the past two weeks.
DEPUTY: Dfc. Larry Steenken
CASE: 14-26814
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INCIDENT: Domestic Assault
DATE / TIME: 08/18/2014 @ 0747 Hours
LOCATION: 100 Block of Watkins Road, Grasonville
VICTIM: Jason Carvalho of Grasonville
ARREST: Donna Renee Mertz-Carvalho (51) of Grasonville
CHARGE: 1st and 2nd Degree Assault – Reckless Endangerment
NARRATIVE: Deputies were called to the residence for a reported domestic between husband and wife. On arrival Mr. Carvalho was observed with a bleeding injury above his eye and he told deputies following a verbal argument, his wife had thrown a pizza at his face and then struck him with a small frying pan. She had then fled the residence.
Mrs. Mertz-Carvalho was located at a nearby residence and placed under arrest. She was later released after posting a $5000 bail.
DEPUTY: Deputy Joseph Walch
CASE: 14-26841
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INCIDENT: Burglary / MDOP
DATE / TIME: 08/18/2014 @ 1012 Hours
LOCATION: 1000 College Circle, Wye Mills, MD
VICTIM: Chesapeake College
NARRATIVE: Security at the college reported that a shed near the ball fields had been broken into and vandalized with offensive spray painting. Damages were estimated at $1000. The incident remains under investigation.
DEPUTY: Dfc. Mitch Jones
CASE: 14-26854
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INCIDENT: Vehicles Damaged
DATE : 08/18/2014
LOCATION: See Narrative
VICTIM: See Narrative
NARRATIVE: Anthony J. Sturgill of Chester reported his pickup truck had been intentionally scratched while parked on Merganser Court. Victim also stated the truck had just been repaired due to a prior similar incident.
A second incident was reported by Pamela Kline of Easton advising a family member parked their 2005 Volkswagen in the 400 block of Woods Point Road Chester overnight. The following morning the car was found with multiple scratches and dents, the windshield damaged and the front license plate missing.
Damages in both cases were estimated to be several thousand dollars.
DEPUTY: Deputy Joseph Walch
CASE: 14-26897
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INCIDENT: Theft
DATE / TIME: 08/19/2014 @ 0814 Hours
LOCATION: Queen Anne Way, Chester
VICTIM: Harriet R. Fisher of Chester
NARRATIVE: Victim reported the theft of her silver women’s Trek bike valued at $500. The bike was being stored on a rear screen porch.
DEPUTY: Deputy Joseph Walch
CASE: 14-26992
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INCIDENT: Theft from Vehicle
DATE / TIME: 08/19/2014 @ 1003 Hours
LOCATION: 1400 Block of Oyster Cove Drive, Grasonville
VICTIM: Dennis W. Alexander of Denton
NARRATIVE: Victim reported his Ford Mustang at a nearby cul-de-sac while he was working at a residence in the area. Returning to his car he found the door ajar and the car ransacked. The stereo system had been removed and left on the center console and a black bag of tools missing. The bag had various painting tools and a cordless drill valued at $1000.
DEPUTY: Deputy Joseph Walch
CASE: 14-27005
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INCIDENT: Theft / MDOP
DATE / TIME: 08/19/2014 @ 1242 Hours
LOCATION: 2300 Block of Price Station Road, Centreville
VICTIM: David Usilton of Centreville
NARRATIVE: According to the victim, someone between July 28th and August 19th had sawed of the handle of his gas tank pump valued at $100.
DEPUTY: Deputy Ryan Davidson
CASE: 14-27018
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DWI ARREST: 08/17/2014 @ 2323 Hours on RT 8 near Vestfield Road.
Deputy Brad Martz was notified of a possible DWI of a silver Toyota Tacoma leaving the Romancoke area. The truck was located and stopped with the driver being Frederick Carl Michelson (49) of Stevensville. With the odor of alcohol and additional indicators, Michelson was asked to attempt several field sobriety tasks. Based on observation by the deputy, Michelson was placed under arrest and charged with DWI. Additional investigation indicated he was driving suspended and wanted by MSP Centreville on a Violation of Probation warrant. Michelson was held at the QA Detention Center on no bond status.