Following an investigation into three seemingly unprovoked assaults on Wednesday, November 6, deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office have arrested and charged Malachi Alexander Steele, 22, of Lexington Park. The incidents left one victim with minor injuries, requiring hospitalization.
The Sheriff’s Office received the first report at 10:32 a.m., with two additional reports following, indicating that assaults had occurred near Great Mills Road and South Coral Drive in Lexington Park. Deputies responded and searched the area, apprehending Steele at approximately 11:55 a.m.
Steele has been charged with one count of first-degree assault and three counts of second-degree assault. He was also charged with theft of $100 to less than $1500, as the bicycle he was riding had been recently reported stolen.
Following the arrest, Sheriff Steve Hall said, “The swift actions of our Deputies, combined with strong community partnerships with Lexington Park businesses, enabled the rapid identification and apprehension of the suspect in a true demonstration of how our community and law enforcement work together to keep St. Mary’s County safe.”
The suspect was transported to the Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown.
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Original News Release
ALERT: St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Investigating Assaults in Lexington Park
LEONARDTOWN, MD (November 6, 2024) – The St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office has received three reports of unprovoked assaults in the Lexington Park area that took place on Wednesday, November 6, and resulted in minor injuries, with one victim being transported to a local hospital. The assaults occurred on Great Mills Road near St. Mary’s Square and the South Coral Drive areas.
Deputies are actively canvassing the area and searching for a suspect, described as a black male, wearing a gray sweatshirt or long-sleeved gray shirt, riding a bicycle, and carrying a metal rod or object.
Due to the heavy police presence, please avoid traveling in and around this area.
We are working to obtain surveillance videos from local businesses and will disseminate an image of the suspect as soon as possible.
If you see someone riding a bicycle carrying a pole or long cylindrical object in this area, please call 911 immediately.
The Sheriff’s Office has contacted the St. Mary’s County Public School System, which has activated safety protocols for schools in the area.
Additional information will be provided as soon as it is available.
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