Maryland theft charge leads to hit-and-run charge, too

A Maryland man is feeling the loss of a lifetime of collecting, as well as the loss of a man whom he thought was his friend. That “friend” is facing not one but two accusations of crime. This all reportedly started with an extensive Civil War memorabilia collection, a collection worth an estimated $68,000.

According to CBS Baltimore, the man who owned the collection lost it to theft. And who is the theft suspect? A man whom he believed was his friend, so much so that he even saw him as family. Trust and friendship are not all that is lost. The 30-year-old suspect could lose some freedoms if the criminal charges against him stick.

Currently, the suspect faces theft and hit-and-run charges. One of those charges came first but actually sounds more difficult to prove compared to the second. Somehow, officials connected the suspect to the memorabilia theft; yet, the supposedly stolen items have still not been located.

The most recent charge levied against the defendant is the hit-and-run. Reportedly, a serious accident occurred on the same day as the alleged theft of the memorabilia. A bicyclist was hit and left at the accident scene. Authorities connect the suspect to the crash because of the condition of his vehicle. Damage to his truck is said to be consistent with what hitting a bicyclist would do, and part of the defendant’s car was reportedly found at the scene of the crash.

Our source shares no comment from the suspect but does indicate that he has a criminal history. He will need an aggressive criminal defense attorney to help mitigate the seriousness of the charges before him.

Source

CBS Baltimore: “Police: Suspect Steals Artifacts, Crashes Into Cyclist During Getaway,” Meghan McCorkell, Jan. 20, 2012