Alleged accomplice of Wicomico County manhunt suspect charged | Latest news

EASTON, MD – The Easton Police Department has identified a suspect in a vehicle theft that turned into a manhunt for a second suspect near Quantico at the end of May.

Easton police say they were first called to Hertrich Chevrolet on Ocean Gateway in Easton on May 30, just before 4:15 a.m., on reports of suspicious activity. Authorities say they were notified of a suspicious person driving a truck around the dealership parking lot. Upon arrival, police observed a white Chevrolet Silverado with Virginia registration leaving the parking lot.

Officers stopped the truck at U5 Foods in Easton and said they noticed a broken passenger-side window and possibly ammunition and law enforcement-related equipment inside. The driver, Donya Jenkins-Patterson, 20, of Laurel, MD, was arrested.

Police said they were then notified that a second suspect was seen fleeing into the tree line behind Hertrich and returned to the dealership. There, they noticed the broken window of a Dorchester County Sheriff's Office vehicle parked in the lot. At the time, it was unclear whether the suspects were able to obtain a firearm.

Investigators searched the woods behind Hertrich but no suspects were located and the search was called off.

Then, just before 6:30 a.m., Easton police were called to Hawkes Hill Road on reports of a stolen 2024 Chevrolet Traverse. Since the robbery took place near the Hertrich incident, police say they believe the perpetrator of the robbery was the second escaped suspect. The search for that suspect then expanded to Wicomico County when the Chevrolet Traverse was found abandoned near Quantico.

Further investigation by Easton police reportedly revealed that the Chevrolet Silverado Jenkins-Patterson was driving was stolen on May 29 in Baltimore City. Items recovered from the vehicle also linked Jenkins-Patterson to other vehicle burglaries in Queen Anne's County.

Jenkins-Patterson was taken to the Talbot County Detention Center and was charged with:

-Theft: $25,000.00 to less than $100,000.00

-Thief and Vagabond

-Malicious destruction of property under $1,000.00

-4th Degree Burglary

-Conspiracy

As of June 12, there were no updates in the search for the second suspect, who allegedly fled the East Coast by crossing the Chesapeake Bay Bridge in another stolen vehicle, according to police.