The Maryland office of Occupational Safety and Health said it will investigate Monday's incident in which a ditch caved in on a 23-year-old plumbing worker.
Doug Wallis, a MOSH supervisor, said the investigation would probably take a month to complete.
At about 4:15 p.m. Monday, an unshored ditch collapsed on RaymondSmith, an employee of William Blubaugh Plumbing of Silver Run. Smithwas laying pipe for a new housing development near the 2900 block ofBachman Road.
Two co-workers quickly uncovered Smith, whose foot was caught between a pipe and a rock. It took rescue workers about two hours to remove him. A Baltimore County unit trained to respond to cave-ins was on the scene.
Smith was treated at Carroll County General Hospital for an injured ankle.
Manchester Fire Chief Steven Miller said the sides of the ditch were not properly shored up and dirt from the ditch was not sloped as required by state law.
SCHOOL ALLEGATION PROBED
DATELINE: GAMBER
GAMBER -- State police and the Department of Social Services are investigating allegations that a staff member sexually abused a student at Mechanicsville Elementary School.
State police refused to comment, but school officials confirmed an investigation was under way.
Brian Lockard, assistant superintendent for instruction, said the staff member has been removed from duties while police and social services investigate. He would not say whether the staff member is receiving pay.
Lockard said the school system is conducting a separate investigation.
"We can do an internal investigation, and that is going on," he said.
HIGH'S ROBBER CAUGHT
DATELINE: WESTMINSTER
WESTMINSTER -- Westminster Police Monday charged a 24-year-old woman shortly after she allegedly attempted to rob the High's Store on Green Street and then had second thoughts about taking the money.
Police said Kendra Dorsey, 24, walked into thestore at about 7 a.m., produced a handgun and demanded money.
Mary Pollard, the store's clerk, gave the suspect about $75 in cash fromthe register, police said.
After obtaining the money, Dorsey allegedly threw it on the floor and said she couldn't continue with the robbery. She walked out and headed east on Green Street.
Using a description provided by the clerk and help from a witness who saw the suspect walk into her apartment building, in the unit block of Washington Road, police arrested Dorsey in her second-floor apartment.
Dorsey was charged with one count each of attempted robbery, using a handgun to commit a crime, wearing or carrying a handgun, and assault with the intent to commit robbery and assault. Her bail was set at $60,000.
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Please report crime tips to these hot lines: 857-TIPS (drugs) and (800) 562-TIPS (Crime Solvers). All calls are confidentialand you do not have to give your name.
Here is a compilation of some of the crime reported to local and state police:
Hampstead
Mar-Sue Drive: Westminster police arrested Arthur E. Peugh Sr., 29, and charged him with possession of drugs and paraphernalia on April 4.Bail was set at $1,500.
Graves Run Road: Westminster police arrested Tony M. Calp, 20, and charged him with three counts each of forgery and uttering, four counts of theft and two counts of conspiracy onApril 4. Bail was set $5,000.
Manchester
Michelle Road: Westminster police said that Richard Hess reported a rock being thrown through the window of his car while it was parked at Cranberry Mall on April 3.
Bachman Road: Westminster police arrested John C. Ecker Jr., 20, on charges of battery April 4. He was released on his own recognizance.
Union Bridge
Starr Lane: Westminster police arrested Virginia Mae Chilcoat, 29, and charged her with driving while intoxicated on April 3. She was released on personal recognizance.
Uniontown
Jasontown Road: Westminster police charged David P. Hoff, 22, with one count of driving while intoxicated on April 4. He was released on his own recognizance.
Westminster
Liberty Street: Westminster police charged Shane Wisniewski with one count each of malicious destruction, assault, battery and two counts of deadly weapons violations on April 3. Bail was set at $1,000.
Alymer Court: Westminsterpolice charged James J. Hopkins III, 32, with driving while intoxicated on April 4. He was released on his own recognizance.
Whispering Meadows Court: Westminster police arrested James L. Brown and charged him with two counts of possession of drugs and one count each of possession with intent to distribute and possession of paraphernalia on March 29. He was released after posting a $500 bond.
Pennsylvania Avenue: Westminster police said that Karen Billings reported that someone entered her house and removed $263 from her purse on April 6.
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Here is a compilation of the fire and rescue calls to the Emergency Operations Center:
April 3
7:37 a.m., Hampstead, Manchester and Arcadia responded to a chimney fire on Wheatland Court.
1:02 p.m., Manchester responded to a brush fire on Fridinger Mill Road.
3:14 p.m., Lineboro responded to a woods fire Middletown Road.
April 4
12:13 a.m., Mount Airy assisted Howard County on a trash fire on Frederick Road.
11:15 a.m., Taneytown, Union Bridge and New Windsor responded to a woods fire on Baust Church Road.
12:28 p.m., Reese responded to a brush fire on Baltimore Boulevard.
3:04 p.m., Sykesville and Gamber responded to a fire alarm on Progress Way.
4:33 p.m., Westminster and Reese responded to a fire alarm on Washington Road.
4:44 p.m., Union Bridge assisted Frederick County ona house fire on Bessie Clemson Road.
4:54 p.m., Manchester responded to a woods fire on Tulip Way.
7:18 p.m., Westminster, Hampstead and Reese responded to a woods fire on Gorsuch Road.
9:20 p.m., Harney, Taneytown, Kingsdale, Littlestown and Greenmount responded toa barn fire on Bowers Road.
April 5
8:39 a.m., Westminster responded to an electrical pole on fire on Woodland Circle.
10:42 a.m., Harney responded on a trash fire on Bowers Road.
11:13 a.m., Manchester responded to a woods fire on Snydersburg Road.
12:56 p.m., Sykesville responded to a field fire on Margin Avenue.
2:14 p.m., Westminster responded to a field fire on Monroe Street.
5:27 p.m., Mount Airy, Libertytown and New Market responded to a woods fire on Buffalo Road.
8:10 p.m., Pleasant Valley, Westminster and Littlestown responded to a house fire on Littlestown Pike.
8:45 p.m., Westminster and Reese responded to a chimney fire on Middle Grove Court.
10:07 p.m., Sykesville assisted Baltimore County on a house fireon Branchlaugh Road.