AT A GLANCE

Howard County police arrested a Prince George's County man in West Friendship April 25 and charged him with burglarizing businesses in Clarksville, North Laurel and Columbia, as well as stealing the van he was driving.

Steven Randall Kent, 37, of Hyattsville, faces multiple charges including two counts of second-degree burglary, three counts of fourth-degree burglary, six counts of theft more than $500 and two counts of unlawfully taking a motor vehicle, according to charging documents.

When Howard police stopped the van Kent was driving in a shopping center in the 12800 block of Frederick Road, in West Friendship, at about 3 a.m., April 25, they noticed that the van's ignition appeared to be tampered with and saw several cash registers in the vehicle, charging documents state.

According to charging documents, Kent admitted to police that earlier that morning he had burglarized Clarksville Cleaners in the 12100 block of Clarksville Pike, in Clarksville; Cherry Tree Liquors, in the 11200 block of Scaggsville Road, in North Laurel; and Subway fast food restaurant, on Freetown Road, in Columbia.

All three businesses reported that their front entrances had been significantly damaged. Clarksville Cleaners reported a missing register containing $540 and Cherry Tree Liquors reported a missing register containing $520. Nothing appeared to be missing from the Subway restaurant, charging documents state.

Kent remained held on $100,000 at the Howard County Detention Center April 30, a District Court spokeswoman said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

Laurel man killed after motorcycle hits SUV

A Laurel man was killed on Route 1, in North Laurel, April 25 when the motorcycle he was driving struck a sport utility vehicle that turned into the motorcycle's path, according to Howard County police.

Kevin Ray Thornton, 46, of Red Clay Road, was driving south on Route 1, south of Whiskey Bottom Road, at about 6:09 p.m. when a northbound Toyota sport utility vehicle made a left turn into the path of Thornton's motorcycle, Howard police said.

The sport utility vehicle was driven by Caleche Njweng Bongo, 28, of Hyattsville, in Prince George's County, police said.

Bongo was attempting to enter a parking lot at the time of the collision, according to police. Thornton's Harley Davidson struck the Toyota, throwing Thornton from the motorcycle, police said.

He was transported to Laurel Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation into the accident is continuing, police said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

West Friendship fireman honored on memorial

A Montgomery County police officer who also served as a firefighter for the West Friendship Volunteer Fire Department, was memorialized April 29 at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington, D.C.

Luke T. Hoffman's name was engraved on the memorial Tuesday during a ceremony. Hoffman died in the line of a duty a year ago.

On April 27, 2007, Hoffman was pursuing a suspect on foot when he was accidentally struck by another responding police cruiser at the scene, said Tracie Copeland, a corporal with Montgomery county police. Hoffman died of his injuries, Copeland said.

Hoffman, who was a longtime resident of Howard County, was a volunteer with the West Friendship Fire Department for seven years, until his death, and received the department's training award in 2005, said Mickey Day, chief of the department.

The annual training award has since been named in Hoffman's honor, Day said.

"Luke was a good guy," Day said. "He had an infectious smile. He was dedicated to everything he did."

-- Sarah Daniels

Odenton man killed after being struck on Route 32

An Anne Arundel County man was killed April 23 in Sykesville as he attempted to refuel his pickup truck along Route 32 and was struck by a truck driven by a Carroll County man who was driving while intoxicated, according to Howard County police.

The collision killed Luther Beamer III, 23, of Odenton.

Police charged Aleksandr V. Dyubanov, 46, of Taneytown, with manslaughter by automobile, homicide by motor vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, driving while intoxicated and driving while impaired by alcohol in connection with the incident.

The collision occurred at 11:17 p.m. on Route 32 near Deer Hill Road, police said.

Beamer had stopped on the right shoulder of northbound Route 32 and was attempting to put gas into his GMC Sierra when he was struck by a 2002 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck driven by Dyubanov, police said.

Beamer was transported to Howard County General Hospital where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Dyubanov was released from the Howard County Detention Center April 26 on $50,000 bond, a District Court spokeswoman said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

Man indicted in Wilde Lake shooting death

A Howard County grand jury indicted a Wilde Lake man April 30 on charges of first-degree murder in the shooting death of a 20-year-old Harper's Choice man at the Wilde Lake Village Center on April 9.

Antajuan Lawntee Wilson, 19, of the 10800 block of Green Mountain Circle, was indicted on charges of first-degree murder, first-degree assault and use of a handgun in the commission of a felony or a violent crime, according to a statement from Howard County State's Attorney Dario Broccolino.

Wilson is charged in the fatal shooting of Bryan Antoine Adams Jr., 20, of Harpers Choice, in the late morning of April 9 in front of the Wilde Lake Village Center.

Howard County police arrested Wilson April 12. He remains held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Broccolino.

-- Mike Santa Rita

Man claims no criminal responsibility in killings

A Columbia man, who is charged with committing two homicides in Wilde Lake in 2007, is not criminally responsible for the killings, his attorney argued in court this week.

Charles David Richardson, 23, of Columbia, is charged with first-degree murder in the April 26, 2007 shooting death of 7-Eleven clerk Alevtina Zhilina, 40, of Columbia, and the May 21, 2007 shooting death of Trae Davon Allen, 19, of Columbia.

Zhilina was killed during a robbery while working at a 7-Eleven on Columbia Road, in Wilde Lake, while Allen was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds to the head in Richardson's Wilde Lake townhouse, according to Howard County police.

Richardson's attorney, Mark Van Bavel, entered a plea in Howard County Circuit Court April 30 that Richardson should be ruled not criminally responsible for both homicides, according to Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Howard County State's Attorney Dario Broccolino.

A defendant is not responsible for criminal conduct if, because of mental retardation or a mental disorder, he or she can not understand that an act is criminal, according to Kirwan.

Van Bavel declined to comment on whether his client had a history of mental illness. He stated during the plea hearing before Judge Diane Leasure that his client was taking medications, including Prozac.

Leasure did not rule on the plea. Richardson will be screened by a state mental health expert and possibly a private mental health expert before a ruling can be made, Van Bavel said.

Richardson remains held without bail at the Howard County Detention Center.

He is scheduled to be tried for Allen's death on May 27 and for Zhilina's killing on July 7, Kirwan said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

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