A 28-year-old Westminster man was admitted to the Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore after the brakes of his pickup truck failed and it struck a tree at the end of Bell Road late Monday.

State police said James William Reaver III of the first block of Carrollview Ave. was driving a 1974 Chevrolet Silverado south on Bell Road about 11:40 p.m. when the brakes failed as he crossed Adams Mill Road.

He was taken by state police MedEvac helicopter to the trauma center, where his condition was listed as fair by a hospital spokeswoman yesterday.

Mr. Reaver was not charged.

POLICE

* Westminster: A resident of Frederick reported that someone entered his car Monday while it was parked on the lot of the Days Inn on Cranberry Road and stole property valued at $300.

A resident of Valen Road told state police that someone entered his vehicle and stole a Sony compact disc player and radio and an assortment of tools Thursday while the vehicle was parked near his home. He estimated the value of the property at $1,000.

FIRE

* Reese: Equipment from the Reese station responded to a brush fire on Bollinger Road at 10:29 a.m. Monday. It was out for 28 minutes.

* Westminster: Westminster investigated a fire alarm in a building at Hook Road and Route 32 at 7:31 p.m. Sept. 14. Units were out for 11 minutes.