13 teenagers arrested for incidents involving stolen, carjacked vehicles in Montgomery County

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - Police in Montgomery County made 13 arrests Monday, all involving stolen or carjacked vehicles.

Around 12:30 p.m. on Nov. 13, an officer spotted two cars in the area of Georgia Ave. and Wayne Ave. that had been taken in armed carjackings: a Nissan Sentra, and a Honda Accord.

The officer followed the Nissan while waiting for backup, but the driver began to flee and a pursuit began. The Nissan eventually crashed into a tree near the intersection of Dennis Ave. and Douglas Ave.

All five occupants, including the 18-year-old driver later identified as Samuel Fikru, were taken into custody. The other occupants were three 15-year-olds and a 16-year-old boy.

Two BB guns and a knife were also found in the car.

The Honda Accord was later found near Bethesda Chevy Chase High School around 2 p.m. where an unknown number of occupants jumped out and ran. One 15-year-old girl was apprehended and the high school briefly went on lockdown as the officers searched for the other suspects.

In a separate incident, an off-duty Baltimore police officer called 911 after finding a Kia Sedona with a broken window near Paint Branch High School. The Sedona had been reported stolen earlier that day.

When police found the car in the Calverton neighborhood and tried to conduct a traffic stop, the driver attempted to get away and collided with another vehicle before coming to a stop on Cherry Hill Road.

The five occupants — three 16-year-olds, a 17-year-old, and the 14-year-old driver — all jumped and ran but police were able to catch two of them. The other three got into a nearby gray Infiniti occupied by two other teens, ages 15 and 16.

Shortly after, the Infiniti came back to the Calverton neighborhood and all five of the occupants got out of the car to watch as the initial two suspects were taken into custody. Police noticed them and quickly took all five into custody.

Fikru has been charged with armed carjacking and motor vehicle theft-related charges. He is currently being held without bond at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit.

The juveniles in the Nissan were charged with auto theft-related charges, obstructing and hindering and malicious destruction of property.

The juveniles in the Kia were charged with motor vehicle unlawful taking and related offenses, while the 15 and 16-year-olds who were in the Infiniti were charged with conspiracy to commit motor vehicle theft, obstructing and hindering, and other conspiracy-related charges.

The 15-year-old girl in the Honda was not charged and released to her parents.

All juvenile suspects were transported to Montgomery County police stations and subsequently released to their parents.