Troopers Arrest Fugitive Wanted by Baltimore Police
September 23, 2007

After hiding in his grandmother’s home for about seven hours today, a Carroll County man wanted by police in Baltimore was arrested late yesterday by a State Police special tactical team.

The accused is identified as Melville P. Mason, 29, of Sykesville, Md. He is under arrest and facing multiple traffic and criminal charges in Baltimore City, Baltimore County and Carroll County.

Mason was arrested by Maryland State Police from the Special Tactical Assault Team Element (STATE) and the Westminster Barracks shortly after 11:00 p.m. yesterday, in the 1800-block of Arrington Road, Sykesville, Md. He will be turned over to officers from the Baltimore Police Department, who have warrants for his arrest.
At about 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 22, 2007, troopers from the Westminster Barracks assisted police officers from Baltimore City and Baltimore County with the pursuit of a Mercedes driven by a man suspected of being involved in a drug transaction in the city. The driver of the car had rammed a city officer’s car and allegedly tried to run down officers during an attempted arrest in Baltimore.

A police pursuit ensued from the city, into Baltimore County, and then into Carroll County. The driver, later identified as Mason, lost control of the car in the area of Ridge Road and Bevridge Drive, near Sykesville. Mason fled the disabled car and was not found during an extensive search Saturday night. A female in the car was arrested and turned over to Baltimore Police.

A search for Mason continued Sunday and a state trooper spotted him in the 1800-block of Arrington Road yesterday afternoon. Mason was seen fleeing into a home that was later identified as belonging to his grandmother. State troopers set a perimeter around the home and talked with Mason by phone throughout the evening. Mason repeatedly refused to come out. No one else was in the home throughout the evening.

The Maryland State Police STATE Team responded and tear gas was dispersed in the house, but Mason did not surrender. SFDFD's Engine 124 and Paramedic 129 were called to standby at the MSP command post at Arrington and Brangles roads, while Engine 123 and Ladder 12 staged at Freedom Park along with a MSP helicopter. Shortly before 11:00 p.m., STATE Team members entered the home and found Mason hiding in a crawl space under the house. He was arrested without further incident. No police officers were injured.