UPDATE 5/8/2023: On Monday, May 8, 2023, Ronald Joseph Garraway, 60, of Chesapeake Beach, pleaded guilty to four charges in connection with a barricade situation that occurred last August. The charges included first and second degree assault and use of a firearm.
On August 19, 2022, the Calvert County Circuit Court issued an order directing the Sheriff’s Office to take Garraway into custody for a mental health examination.
Friends and relatives had told the Court that Garraway was acting in a bizarre fashion. When deputies arrived at Garraway’s house, he refused to leave and began making threats.
Deputies evacuated the neighborhood and attempted to get Garraway to surrender. Tear gas was deployed and deputies eventually entered the residence.
As they began to ascend the stairway to Garraway’s location, he fired shots at them. Garraway later came down the stairway armed with a handgun, refused commands to drop the weapon, and was shot in the shoulder.
He was taken into custody and transported to the hospital for treatment.
Garraway was examined by a psychologist employed by the Maryland State Department of Health and found to be psychotic and delusional. The psychologist determined that at the time of the offense Garraway was not criminally responsible for his actions.
Under Maryland law, Garraway was committed to the Department of Health for placement in a secure mental health facility. He will remain in that facility until it is determined that he no longer poses a danger to himself or others.
Before release, the State is entitled to a hearing before the Court to determine whether Garraway should continue to be committed.
Update: Audio has been added. Police recovered at least two firearms.
UPDATE – Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Press Release: On Friday, August 19, 2022, at 9:47 p.m., deputies responded to the 8300 block of Autumn Crest Lane in Chesapeake Beach to attempt service of an arrest warrant for First-Degree Assault.
The suspect, Ronald Joseph Garraway, 59, of Chesapeake Beach, advised he was armed, refused to exit the residence, and barricaded himself in an upstairs bedroom. A barricade was declared and a perimeter was established.
Members of the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office Special Operations Team (SOT), Crisis Intervention Team (CIT), and specially trained officers with the Conflict Management Team (CMT) responded to the scene and attempted negotiations. Officers from both the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Service Team (EST) and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office EST) were on scene to assist.
Calvert County Sheriff’s Deputies began coordinating a plan with the goal of taking the man into custody as safely as possible. Throughout the early morning hours, several attempts at negotiations were made, however, the suspect suddenly fired at officers. Officers then discharged their firearms striking the suspect. Officers were able to safely exit the home. Emergency service teams entered the residence, located Garraway, and rendered aid.
Garraway was transported to MedStar Washington Hospital Center in stable condition.
In accordance with Maryland State Law, The Maryland Attorney General’s Independent Investigations Division (IID) was contacted, but based on a lack of qualifying factors, declined to handle the investigation. The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate.
Additional details will be released as they become available.
8/20/2022: On Friday, August 19, 2022, police responded to a residence in the Richfield Station Subdivision in Chesapeake Beach.
A barricade situation was declared and the Calvert County Criminal Investigations Bureau and St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Services Team responded and have been conducting negotiations for over 4 hours.
Police remain on the scene as of 1:20 a.m. SWAT teams have fired multiple rounds of gas into the residence and have attempted contact for over 2 hours. An armored vehicle was used to ram the front door and garage to the residence.
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office released the following – “Police activity in the area of Autumn Crest Ln in the Richfield Station Subdivision in Chesapeake Beach. Avoid the area.”
Incident is ongoing. Updates will be provided when they become available.
