Police Report: April 17-23

The Mount Rainier Police Department’s weekly report is not intended to be a listing of every incident or call for service handled by the police department, but merely a general summary of incidents that may be of interest to the community. Some reports may be outside the date parameters due to extended investigations or other circumstances. Some cases are not included at all due to ongoing investigations.

April 23^rd:

3300 block of Perry Street: M/V collision – 1:35am. Officers responded for a single vehicle collision. They found the vehicle in question with extensive front end damage and both air bags deployed. Witnesses told the officers that that the vehicle was occupied by two females who fled on foot after the collision. Attempts to locate the driver based on the registration were negative. The vehicle was impounded for safekeeping. At about 2:30am officers responded to the police station to meet with the driver who wanted to turn herself in. She said that she and her passenger fled because they were afraid and not familiar with the area. She was issued several citations and released.

4200 block of Shepherd Street: Warrant service – 5:30pm. Officers responded to speak with a man who said that his ex-wife was in violation of a protection order. He said that she had threatened to hit him with a baseball bat and showed the officers cell phone photos of the threat. He also said that there was an open arrest warrant for the woman as a result of assault charges he filed back on April 18^th. Officers located the woman and verified the existence of the warrant. She was arrested and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

2200 block of Varnum Street (Family Dollar): 2^nd degree assault – 6:25pm. The store clerk told officers that a man came into the store and began verbally harassing her. Before leaving the store he picked up two pastries and hit her in the face with them. He was described as a light skin black male, medium build, dreadlock hairstyle, and multiple marks on his face. Officers canvassed the area for the suspect with negative results.

April 22^nd:

3800 block of 35^th Street: Burglary – 1:30pm. A work crew renovating a vacant house reported that they left the property at about 4pm yesterday after securing the house. When they returned this afternoon they discovered that the front door/garage door had been kicked in and about $1,500 worth of their tools had been stolen. The scene was processed and photos were taken of a foot print on the garage door.

4200 block of Russell Avenue: Attempt fraud – 3pm. The reporting person told officers that she placed an ad on social media to provide babysitting services. She was contacted by a couple in reference to the ad and they sent her an advanced payment check. She contacted the bank and learned that the check was fraudulent.

April 21^st:

Queens Chapel Road and Buchanan Street: M/V collision – 6:30pm. Officers’ investigation revealed that a 2003 Nissan was stopped at the northbound traffic light on Queens Chapel Road. The driver of a 2004 Honda failed to control his speed and collided with the stopped Nissan. The driver of the Honda fled the scene on foot prior to the officers’ arrival. There were no injuries and the Honda was impounded for safekeeping.

3300 block of Rhode Island Avenue (Party Time Liquors): Check fraud – 11:25am. A man came into the store and attempted to cash a check using a fake ID. The officers also learned that the check had been issued by a company in Virginia to a person other than the man who was trying to cash it. The man was arrested and charged with attempted theft and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville. All parties were notified that the check had been seized for evidence.

3800 block of 35^th Street: MIR – 8:40pm. Witnesses told officers that they saw three black males pushing a generator down 35^th Street towards Bunker Hill Road, one of whom threw it in a dumpster. The officers checked the garage of a vacant house that was being renovated in the 3800 block of 35^th Street and discovered an open door. They found a work lamp in the dumpster and collected it for safekeeping. The three suspects were not located.

April 20^th:

4100 block of 29^th Street: Tampering – 3am. The owner of a 1991 Volvo reported seeing someone inside of his car. The officers checked the car and found a man who had been drinking inside sleeping. The man said that he thought the car was abandoned and he got inside because he was cold and sleepy. He was charged with tampering with a motor vehicle and delivered to the custody of DOC in Hyattsville.

3600 block of Bunker Hill Road: EPS – 6:45pm. Officers patrolling the area saw a black male stumbling and falling on the sidewalk as he attempted to walk. They asked him if he had taken PCP and he replied that had done so about five minutes prior. He was taken into custody and transported to Washington Adventist Hospital for emergency medical treatment.

April 19^th:

3100 block of Queens Chapel Road: EPS – 8:30am. Officers responded for the report of a woman who was hearing voices in her head. They spoke with the woman who advised that she believes people are out to kill her and that her family was trying to crush up sleeping pills to feed her in food. Officers transported the woman to Washington Adventist Hospital and released her to the medical staff for an emergency psychiatric evaluation. 

One Municipal Place: Criminal citation – 11:10am. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for urinating in public.

4000 block of 34^th Street: Hit and run M/V collision – 12pm. The owner of a 2007 Saturn told officers that she parked her vehicle in a legal spot and returned to find that it had been hit by another vehicle that failed to remain at the scene. No witnesses/evidence were identified.

4200 block of 31^st Street: Custody dispute – 5:20pm. The mother of two young children told officers that she and her former husband had a mutual, non- court ordered agreement for the husband to spend time with the children. The husband picked up the children from their school in Hyattsville and took them to his home in Florida without telling their mother. She reported the children missing and obtained a temporary custody order from the court. When the children’s’ whereabouts became known, local police responded to the father’s residence and confirmed that the children were present and unharmed. Since no custody order was in force at the time no further action was taken. The mother has since retrieved the children and they are safely back home in Maryland.

April 18^th:

3400 block of Rhode Island Avenue: 2^nd degree Assault – 7:45am. The victim told officers that he spoke with a black male who was panhandling outside of Chuck’s Liquors. He told the man he could not solicit in front of the store whereupon the man punched him in the face. EMS took the victim to a local hospital for treatment and a search for his assailant was negative.

3000 block of Queens Chapel Road: EPS – 2:05pm. Officers responded for a suspicious person. When they arrived they spoke with a woman who said that she had been kidnapped by the FBI and NASA the previous day; and that she was not feeling well - experiencing chest pains and shortness of breath. EMS responded and transported her to Providence Hospital where she was released to the medical staff for emergency psychiatric and medical evaluations.

One Municipal Place: Criminal citation – 5:15 pm. Officers issued a man a criminal citation for drinking in public. He was also arrested on an open warrant obtained my Metro Transit Police. However, it was later learned that the warrant had been recalled so he was released from custody.

April 17^th:

4300 block of 30^th Street: Vehicle impound – 12:15am. Officers stopped to investigate a vehicle parked on a sidewalk. They learned that there was an MSP pick up order for the tags for failure to comply with a safety equipment repair order. The vehicle was impounded and the tags were seized for return to MVA.

Citizens are reminded to PLEASE call and report suspicious activity. Even if you choose not to provide your name or other personal information, we still need your help as extra eyes and ears in the community.

See or Hear Something?

Say Something!

We WANT to be bothered! Call 301-985-6565/6566.