The following is a sample of recent Charles County Sheriff’s Office investigations. For information about crimes not included in this report, visit CrimeReports.com and search by county, city, zip code or street address.

ASSAULT: On April 6 at 12:14 a.m., officers responded to the 2200 block of Sandalwood Drive in Waldorf for the report of a road rage incident during which a man pointed a handgun at the occupants of another car. The victims, a man and woman, said they were travelling west on Route 228 when the suspect pointed a handgun at them. The victims followed the suspect to the 2200 block of Sandalwood Drive where the suspect exited the vehicle and ran into a house. Officers established a perimeter and spoke with a female passenger and two children who were inside the suspect’s car. Officers discovered the driver had gone into his relatives’ house but he came outside after officers reached him. A loaded semi-automatic handgun was located near a tree in the yard. A computer check revealed the gun was registered to the suspect. Damien Antoinne Chapman, 29, of Waldorf, was arrested and charged with first-degree assault and possession of a handgun in a vehicle. Officer V. Warker made the arrest.

YOUTH CHARGED WITH STEALING FAMILY CAR: On April 6 at 10:37 p.m., PFC M. Kelly was in the area of Beech Lane in La Plata when he saw a car with several passengers driving in the middle of the roadway without its headlights on. PFC Kelly initiated a traffic stop but the suspects fled. At the same time, 911 call takers received a call from a woman who reported her car had been stolen; it was the same car the officer was following. The driver continued to flee and ended up crossing all lanes of Route 301 before striking a guardrail. The suspects jumped from the car and fled on foot but the driver, a 15-year-old male, was apprehended by PFC E. Baker. Officers discovered he had stolen the car from his mother earlier in the day.

ROBBERY: On April 6 at 9:50 p.m., a 17-year-old male was walking near the intersection of Tawny Drive and Trefoil Place in Waldorf when three suspects approached, pulled a gun and assaulted the victim. They stole the victim’s phone, cash, pants and shoes – Nike LeBron style tennis shoes. The Criminal Investigations Division is investigating.

DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY: On April 5 at 7 a.m., officers responded to the 4700 block of Rookewood Place in Waldorf for the report of destruction of property. The victim said neighbors were tearing down the gutters of her residence and throwing things at her house. Officers arrived and located the suspects. Javon Jackson, 28, of Waldorf, and Dorothy Watson, 21, were arrested. They were subsequently linked to a burglary that occurred earlier that morning on Quigley Court. Jackson and Watson were charged with destruction of property and burglary. Officer G. Cook investigated.

VANDALISM/RRE: On April 5 at 7:30 a.m., officers responded to the 15900 block of Cobb Island Road in Cobb Island for the report of vandalism. Investigation showed someone had spray painted a picture of genitalia and a racial slur at the entrance of a farm treatment plant. PFC R. Kimble is investigating.

SHOPLIFTER ARRESTED: On April 4 at 11:57 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 3300 block of Crain Highway in Waldorf for the report of a shoplifter. Witnesses said Frank Luther Burkhart, 50, of Clinton, entered the store and grabbed a pair of Adidas athletic socks, removed the tags and hid them under his coat. He was apprehended by a loss prevention officer as he left and was placed in handcuffs. Somehow, Burkhart was able to pull a razor blade from his clothing and threaten the loss prevention officer. He was fighting with store personnel when officers arrived. Burkhart was arrested and transported to the Charles County Detention Center where he was charged with assault and theft. PFC R. Walls investigated.

OFFICERS IDENTIFY SHOPLIFTER/CHARGES PENDING: On April 3 at 5:43 p.m., officers responded to the 3000 block of Waldorf Market Place for the report of a man who had just stolen a cart full of groceries including Tide laundry detergent, paper towels and toilet paper. The suspect was confronted by store personnel but he threatened to hurt them. The suspect then got into his car and fled. Staff called 911 and provided a description of the suspect’s car – a silver Buick with DC tags – which was broadcast by dispatchers. Officer K. Makle spotted the car near Route 210 and pursued the vehicle but the driver refused to stop. Officers stopped the pursuit after verifying the driver’s name via a computer. A warrant for his arrest will be obtained. The stolen items, valued at $354.39, were recovered. Cpl. C. Gilroy is investigating.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS, texting CHARLES + the tip to CRIMES (274637) or submitting tips online at tipsubmit.com. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Learn more at the CCSO’s website.

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit ccso.us.

Media Contact
Diane Richardson
301-609-6557
richardsond@ccso.us