Author: eastbaltco

Arrest Made in Welbrook Road Murder in Essex


Police have arrested a suspect in the Oct. 9 shooting death of Zeshaan Ali Toppa in the 500 block of Welbrook Road in Essex.

Detectives from the Baltimore County Police Homicide Unit determined that Toppa was murdered during a drug-related robbery by the suspect, identified as Keonta Adrian Skipwith (18) of 8000 block of Pennington Drive in Laurel, 20724.

A warrant for Skipwith’s arrest was issued on Oct. 14 for the charge of first degree murder. He was arrested Monday, Oct. 26 and remains held without bond following a bail review hearing.

Police Seek Victims of Middle River Suspect


Baltimore County Police are searching for other possible victims after charging a 26-year-old man with rape.

William Pervis McNeill, Jr. of the 500 block of Carrollwood Road in Middle River is being held without bail on charges of second degree rape, fourth degree sex offense and perverted practice after he sexually assaulted a man on Oct. 22.

McNeill met the victim by creating fake job opportunities on social media. The victim answered the ad and went to the suspect’s apartment for an interview. The victim was then sexually assaulted during the interview.

Police are asking the public to contact detectives if they believe they were solicited for a job opportunity and were sexually assaulted by McNeill.

Detectives confirmed that McNeil used cell phone apps and fake profiles to make the job opportunity appear realistic. McNeill’s booking photo is being released due to the fake profiles.

Police said they believe victims may recognize his photo and come forward. Victims are urged to contact detectives from the Baltimore County Police Special Victims Unit by calling 410-307-2020

Dundalk Teacher Honored by Commission on Disabilities


Brandi Corriggio, an educator at Battle Monument School, was named Teacher of the Year by the Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities.

Corriggio is the elementary team leader, school testing coordinator, Individual Educational Program (IEP) chair, and job coach at Battle Monument School. Battle Monument School is a public day school for students between the ages 3-21 years old who have significant intellectual disabilities.

Corriggio also serves on the school’s Instructional Leadership Team, Crisis Team, and Equity Committee. She began her career at Battle Monument in 2005 as a Preschool-3, Pre-Kindergarten, and Kindergarten teacher.

As job coach for Battle Monument, Corriggio works with the BCPS transition coordinator to
identify worksites and complete all required paperwork. Prior to taking students to their worksites, she develops a plan to teach them aspects of the work assignment.

She also collaborates with classroom teachers regarding which students are ready to work. Franklin Square Hospital, Red Brick Station, and The Exchangeree at White Marsh are a few of the partnerships Corriggio has developed. Some placements have resulted in employment opportunities for students when they leave the school system at age 21.

“I think Ms. Corriggio is an ideal candidate for the Baltimore County Teacher of the Year,” wrote Battle Monument Principal Jerry Easterly in nominating her. “She is a strong advocate for students with intellectual disabilities. She is poised and confident, both qualities that I consider necessary for the Teacher of the Year.”

Perry Hall HS Student Wins Disability Award


Bryce Muneses, a Grade 10 student at Perry Hall High School, was named Student of the Year by the Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities. Muneses suffered a stroke as an infant that limited his ability to control his arms and legs. He was nominated for the honor by Lori Ludwig.

Ludwig wrote: “I met Bryce when he started kindergarten at Chapel Hill Elementary School and had the honor of being his assistant throughout his time in elementary school. He liked to refer to me as his sidekick.”

She describes Muneses as “the picture of positivity, perseverance, and strength” and an excellent student. “Bryce is an inspiration to all,” she wrote. “He exudes positivity. Never does he let his inability to do something stop him from achieving his goal; he simply finds another way to get it done. . . . Other students learned a lot about patience and compassion from Bryce. . . . Often (at Chapel Hill Elementary) I hear how he has inspired someone having a rough day to keep trying even now that he has moved on. He has made quite an impression on all who know him.”

BCPS Releases Plan for Return of High School Sports


Baltimore County Public Schools has announced its fall re-engagement plan for high school athletics.

According to the plan, student-athletes will return to their school campuses to participate in voluntary conditioning and skill development sessions. The tentative schedule is that the small group sessions (of 20 students or fewer) will take place:

For winter sports Nov. 16 – Dec. 4
For fall sports Dec. 7 – Dec. 30
For spring sports Jan. 4 – Jan. 22

BCPS noted that these dates are subject to change, and activities are subject to cancellation at any time.

Additionally, on Oct. 26, the Maryland State Board of Education voted to approve the Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association (MPSSAA) Proposal to accelerate competitive athletics beginning on Dec. 7. In accordance with this direction, BCPS will also begin competitive sports in the following manner:

Winter season
First practice – Dec. 7
First play date – Jan. 4
Last play date – Feb. 13

Fall season
First practice – Feb. 13
First play date – Mar. 5
Last play date – Apr. 17

Spring season
First practice – Apr. 17
First play date – May 7
Last play date – Jun. 19

“We appreciate the important and unique role that athletics play in connecting students to their schools, promoting physical and mental health, developing students’ collaborative and leadership skills, and more,” said BCPS Superintendent Dr. Darryl L. Williams. “We have worked closely with our athletics and health services staff and with the Baltimore County Department of Health in developing this opportunity to bring student-athletes back to school campuses for conditioning and skill development activities.”

The sessions will be open to all interested high school students. No tryouts will be involved. To participate, students will be required to register, complete pre-participation physicals, and sign parent/student participation acknowledgement statements. Students will be encouraged, but not required, to receive flu shots.

In addition, participation will require that students adhere to several requirements such as wearing face coverings, practicing social distancing, bringing their own water bottles and hand sanitizer to each practice, and demonstrating good hygiene and behavior. Students who fail to observe these requirements may be removed from the program and not permitted to return.

The availability of transportation will be announced soon.

The full plan, available online, offers more detailed information about accommodations for students with special needs, inclement weather, workout times, sanitization of equipment, and other procedures to protect students and staff from COVID-19.

In addition to the in-person voluntary conditioning and skill development sessions, BCPS will continue to offer virtual coaching and conditioning to high school student-athletes through the first semester, which ends Jan. 29, 2021.

Maryland Breaks Early Voting Turnout Record


The Maryland State Board of Elections has announced that Monday’s unofficial voter turnout of more than 161,000 was the highest single-day early voting turnout in the state’s history. The total surpassed the previous unofficial single-day early voting record of 143,494 set on the final day of early voting in the 2016 general election.

“We’re extremely pleased that Marylanders are turning out in record numbers to exercise their right to vote,” said Maryland State Board of Elections Administrator Linda Lamone.

“Today’s record-setting total is in addition to the more than 1.6 million voters who requested a mail-in ballot and the roughly 830,000 who have already submitted them. We are equally pleased that nearly 1,000 people took advantage of same-day registration today in order to cast their ballots.”

A county-by-county breakdown of the turnout, along with an unofficial statewide total turnout figure, will be posted when available in the Maryland State Board of Election’s online press room under the “2020 Presidential General Election Reports” heading.

Early voting will continue until Monday, Nov. 2. In-person voting is also available on Election Day, Nov. 3.

During the eight days of early voting, eligible voters may cast their ballots at any authorized early voting center in their jurisdiction of residence. A complete list of early voting centers is available here. Voters may also search here for early voting centers, Election Day voting centers and ballot drop box locations in their area simply by including their zip code.

Early voting centers and Election Day vote centers will be following approved health guidelines. Voters must wear a mask and maintain a distance of at least six feet between other individuals.

For voters who missed the advance voter registration deadline, same-day registration will be available at early voting and Election Day vote centers. To prove their place of residence, Marylanders registering in person during early voting or on Election Day will need to bring their Motor Vehicle Administration-issued driver’s license, identification card or change of address card, or a paycheck, bank statement, utility bill or other government document that includes the voter’s name and new address.

“We encourage Marylanders who would like to vote in person to continue to take advantage of early voting,” Lamone said. “While many Marylanders have, and continue to, cast their votes using mail-in ballots, voting early is one way to reduce lines and limit wait times at vote centers. The best time to vote in person is on a weekday between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.”

Voters who have already requested a ballot should vote the ballot they receive in the mail. Voters simply complete the ballot, sign the oath on the postage-paid return envelope that accompanies the ballot, seal the envelope and submit it by mail or at an approved ballot drop box location.

Voters may not “trade in” their mail-in ballot during early voting or on Election Day, nor can they scan their mail-in ballot at an in-person vote center. If a voter has already requested or received a mail-in ballot and wants to vote early, the voter will have to cast a provisional ballot. This ballot will be held until election officials confirm the voter did not also return a mail-in ballot. This process ensures only one ballot per voter is counted.

Voters may drop off a mail-in ballot at an early voting center, but the ballot must be properly sealed in the return envelope that accompanied the mail-in ballot. Voters must sign the oath on the return envelope in order for the ballot to be counted.

Four Eastside Schools Named Best for Athletes


Baltimore County Public Schools announced that 13 of its schools was named in the top 50 schools in the region for athletes. The list compiled by Niche, based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and the region consists of schools from Baltimore City, and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, and Howard counties. Sparrows Point High School was ranked 8th, Perry Hall ranked 11th, Eastern Tech 30th and Kenwood 45th.

Most for Athletes
School, ranking

Hereford High School, 1st
Sparrows Point High School, 8th
Milford Mill Academy, 9th
Dulaney High School, 10th
Perry Hall High School, 11th
Franklin High School, 12th
New Town High School, 14th
Towson High School, 19th
Eastern Technical High School, 30th
Loch Raven High School, 35th
Pikesville High School, 44th
Kenwood High School, 45th
Randallstown High School, 47th

Eastern Tech, Perry Hall & Sparrows HS Rank in Top 50


Nearly a quarter of the region’s 50 best public high schools are in Baltimore County, according to 2021 annual rankings compiled by Niche, based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and test scores, college data, and ratings collected from Niche users.

For the regional rankings, schools from Baltimore City, and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, and Howard counties were reviewed, and Eastern Tech, Perry Hall and Sparrows Point are among 12 BCPS high schools to appear in the top 50 overall:

School, ranking
Eastern Technical High School, 6th
Hereford High School, 8th
Dulaney High School, 9th
George W. Carver Center for Arts & Technology, 10th
Towson High School, 12th
Western School of Technology, 13th
Catonsville High School, 27th
Pikesville High School, 29th
Perry Hall High School, 31st
Franklin High School, 34th
Loch Raven High School, 41st
Sparrows Point High School, 44th

In addition, Niche compared schools in the same region for best teachers, best college prep, most diversity, and best athletics. BCPS claimed more than a quarter of the top 50 schools on the list for best teachers and 29 percent of the 42 ranked schools on the college prep list. BCPS schools claimed 40 percent of the top 50 slots on the list for most diversity and more than a quarter of those on the top 50 list for best athletics.

Best Teachers
School, ranking
Hereford High School, 2nd
Dulaney High School, 5th
Eastern Technical High School, 8th
Carver Center, 13th
Towson High School, 17th
Catonsville High School, 19th
Perry Hall High School, 22nd
Pikesville High School, 28th
Western School of Technology, 30th
Loch Raven High School, 40th
Sparrows Point, 45th
Franklin High School, 46th
Chesapeake High School, 50th

Best College Prep
School, ranking
Dulaney High School, 7th
Towson High School, 9th
Eastern Technical High School, 10th
Carver Center, 13th
Hereford High School, 14th
Western School of Technology, 17th
Pikesville High School, 23rd
Catonsville High School, 25th
Perry Hall High School, 32nd
Franklin High School, 33rd
Loch Raven High School, 37th
Parkville High School, 41st

Most Diverse
School, ranking

Parkville High School, 5th
Ridge Ruxton School, 7th
Lansdowne High School, 10th
Dundalk High School, 12th
Kenwood High School 20th
Perry Hall High School 22nd
Patapsco High School and Center for the Arts, 23rd
Eastern Technical High School, 24th
Carver Center, 26th
Owings Mills High School, 27th
Catonsville High School, 29th
Western School of Technology, 30th
Battle Monument School, 31st
Franklin High School, 34th
Dulaney High School, 37th
Pikesville High School, 39th
Chesapeake High School, 41st
Loch Raven High School, 46th
Maiden Choice School, 47th
Crossroads Center, 49th

Second Suspect Arrested in July Rosedale Murder


On September 30, Lateef Amir Maple (32) of the 1100 block of Myrtle Avenue, 21201 was the first suspect arrested in connection with the July 28 murder of Trevor Hamlet.

As a part of the on-going investigation, Baltimore County Homicide detectives were able to identify Donwin Rumeal Brooks (30) of the 2200 block of Linden Avenue in Baltimore City as being the second suspect. On October 21, Brooks was arrested and charged in connection with the murder of Trevor Hamlet.

Maple and Brooks are charged with first-degree murder and various other charges. Maple remains held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on a no bail status. Brooks is held at the Baltimore County Detention Center on a no bail status pending a bail review hearing.