Attempted murder

On April 28, Cambridge Police Department (CPD) officers responded to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore in reference to a warrant service for a 26-year-old Cambridge man.

Charges stem from an incident that occurred on April 21, when officers were dispatched to the 700 block of Rosemont Avenue to assist Dorchester County EMS with a 1-month-old child not breathing and unconscious. EMS rendered aid to the child, who was later transported to Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. Evaluation of the child revealed two brain bleeds.

The suspect said he had fed the child, and later found that fluid was coming from the baby’s nose and mouth. He denied any traumatic event that led to the injury, though detectives later learned that the suspect had changed the baby, who fell and struck its head. The suspect then shook the child, trying to wake the baby, a report from the CPD said.

A medical diagnosis showed that the child did receive traumatic injury to its head showing multiple skull fractures including bilateral bleeding to both sides of the brain, which have evolved into a stroke ischemic injury consistent with progressive brain damage.

Marcus Semione Peak was transported to CPD for processing and his initial appearance before a Court Commissioner. He was turned over to the Dorchester County Department of Corrections on No Bond. Peak was charged with the following:

Attempted 1st Degree Murder

Attempted 2nd Degree Murder

Assault 1st Degree

Child Abuse 1st Degree Severe Physical Injury

Child Abuse 2nd Degree Custodian

Assault 2nd Degree

Neglect of Minor

Reckless Endangerment

Bomb threat

On May 2, at approximately 8:11 a.m., CPD officers and Dorchester sheriff’s deputies responded to Cambridge-South Dorchester High School for a reported Bomb Threat. Investigation showed that an unknown male subject used a fake number, calling into the school office stating there was a bomb.

The school declared a “Shelter In Place” and later was evacuated. Multiple Bomb Detection K9 Teams from allied agencies were called to the location to assist. The school was searched and found the threat was not credible.

On May 3, at approximately 9:17 a.m., officers and deputies again responded to a bomb threat coming from a male subject using a fake number. The school was searched and found the threat was not credible. This investigation is still on-going where CPD and DSO are requesting any witnesses who have information into the threat to contact the agencies. Callers can remain anonymous.

Shots fired

On May 2, at approximately 6:25 p.m., CPD was alerted to a “Shot Spotter Alert” for multiple shots fired on High Street at Douglas Street. Multiple CPD Units responded to the area, where they located and recovered nine spent shell casings that appeared to have been spread apart as though the suspect was shooting from a moving vehicle from the intersection of High and Douglas streets to the intersection of High and Noble streets.

No victims or damage was found. Several anonymous witnesses advised that the suspect vehicle was a white passenger car suspected to be an Audi displaying DE registration with loud exhaust. The CPD is asking for any witnesses or victims to contact the Police Department. All calls can remain anonymous.

Failure to obey/foot pursuit

On May 2, at approximately 7 p.m., CPD units were in the Greenwood Avenue area to locate the suspect vehicle from the previous Shots Fired incident. While near Camelia Street, a man was observed who matched the description of a subject who fled from officers the previous night after possibly displaying a gun.

As officers attempted to contact the subject in the 900 block of Camelia Street, a group fled on foot. Officers pursued the subjects on foot.

The subjects refused commands to stop and continued to flee to the area of Wood and Hubert streets. The male subject previously described was apprehended on a wooded path between Wood Street and Greenwood Avenue. Shyheim Lamar Drayton-Upshur, 20 years old of Seaford, Delaware, was is was charged with Fail to Obey Lawful Order, and released on his signature.

Shot fired, car recovered

On May 3, at approximately 8:44 p.m., CPD officers responded to the 700 block of Moores Avenue for a Shot Spotter Alert for a single gunshot. Officers were unable to locate any victims. They did find a Hyundai passenger vehicle left running in drive in a partially wooded area which had been reported stolen several days prior.

The vehicle was towed back to CPD for further investigation. This is an on-going investigation. CPD is requesting any victims or witnesses to contact CPD. All callers can remain anonymous.

Turbo Tax payments

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown last week announced that consumers who were misled by TurboTax’s owner Intuit into paying for free tax services will begin receiving checks from a $141 million multistate settlement announced in May 2022.

Maryland will receive $2,188,255.93 for 71,950 consumers who were unfairly charged. Eligible consumers will be contacted by email about the settlement.

Eligible consumers include those who paid to file their federal tax returns through TurboTax for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018 but were eligible to file for free through the IRS Free File Program. Consumers who are eligible for a payment will receive a check in the mail automatically, without filing a claim. Checks are expected to be mailed out starting this week.

For more information about who is covered by the settlement and information about the settlement fund, consumers can visit www.AGTurboTaxSettlement.com. 

Fallen Heroes Day

Governor Wes Moore proclaimed May 5 as Fallen Heroes Day in Maryland. Fallen Heroes Day, which is held each year on the first Friday in May, is an opportunity for the public to show their appreciation for those who risk their lives every day to protect the citizens of Maryland.

This year honors: 

Lt. John T. Killian, Jr., a 26-year veteran of the Baltimore City Fire Department. Lt. Killian, age 51, died on March 10, 1985, when the floor collapsed as he was battling a rowhouse fire on Hudson Street. 

Lt. Colonel Harry L. George, a 25-year veteran of the Maryland Natural Resources Police. Lt. Colonel George, age 54, died on October 24, 1978, from injuries sustained two months earlier when a Maryland Department of Natural Resources plane crashed near Edgewater.