Two men from central Pennsylvania are facing charges after an illegal car rally in Prince George’s County, Maryland, over the weekend, authorities said.

Blake Miller of East Berlin and Gus Roth of Hanover were arrested after an illegal car rally investigation run by law enforcement across Maryland, the Prince George’s County Police Department said in a Facebook post on Tuesday. 

Police said from around 10 p.m. on Feb. 21 to the early morning of Feb. 22, law enforcement agencies worked with the Maryland State Police in an operation targeting illegal car rallies in the Prince George’s County area. 

At one rally, police said they saw someone swapping license plates, leading to them tracking the vehicle to Allentown Road. When officers approached the vehicle, authorities said the driver, Miller, attempted to flee and hit multiple cars. Miller allegedly then tried to run away, but officers took him into custody. 

The passenger in the vehicle, Roth, also tried to flee but was taken into custody. Prince George’s County police also said a gun and ammunition were found in the vehicle.

Miller faces several traffic-related offenses, while Roth faces charges in connection with the gun.

Police said in addition to Miller and Roth’s arrests, the department conducted eight traffic stops, impounded two vehicles, and issued 15 citations. Officials added that multiple gatherings were broken up or prevented.

“My message is loud and clear: do not come into Prince George’s County or any of our neighboring jurisdictions and engage in this dangerous and illegal behavior. These car rallies cause havoc in our streets and take police resources out of our community,” Prince George’s County Police Chief George Nader said in the Facebook post. 

Authorities said anyone with information on an illegal car rally can contact Prince George’s County Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-8477. A reward of up to $500 is offered for information that helps prevent an illegal car rally before it starts, police said.

A search is underway in Maryland for a suspect who shot at a State Police trooper who was conducting a traffic stop in Baltimore Tuesday morning, department officials said. 

The trooper suffered powder burns due to the proximity of the shooting, but was not shot, according to officials. The trooper was taken to shock trauma for medical treatment. 

The incident unfolded around 3:30 a.m. as the trooper attempted to conduct a traffic stop on a gray Infinity at the intersection of Belle Avenue and Milford Avenue in Baltimore, police said. 

As the trooper approached the car on the driver’s side, the door opened slightly and shots were fired from inside, according to police. The trooper did not fire back, and the driver fled east on Belle Avenue. 

The suspect is believed to be driving a gray Infiniti with partial license plates, according to police. The suspect’s car has darkly tinted windows, damage to the front end and broken headlights. 

Baltimore Police and Baltimore County Police are working with State Police to identify the suspect, according to Mayor Brandon Scott and Police Commissioner Richard Worley. 

“This senseless act of violence against a law enforcement officer endangered both the trooper and our entire city. It will not be tolerated, and we will not rest until the person responsible is held accountable,” Scott and Worley said in a joint statement. 

“We are committed to using every available resource to help bring this individual into custody alongside our partners,” they added.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect is asked to call police at 410-653-4200.

This is not the first time a Maryland law enforcement officer has been injured during a traffic stop. 

In January, a Baltimore police officer was dragged by a car during a traffic stop downtown. The officer stopped a car after seeing that it had a suspended license plate tag, and after returning to the vehicle with the driver’s registration, he noticed what appeared to be a gun in the driver’s waistband.

The driver eventually fled, and the officer fired one shot, injuring the driver. He was later arrested and charged with assault and reckless endangerment.

(WBFF) — Protesters packed a Washington County Board of Commissioners meeting earlier this month, demanding to be heard as the board approved a resolution supporting the mission of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers.

During the meeting, officials warned attendees to keep signs down and threatened to suspend the session if disruptions continued. “If I hear one more whistle blow, I will suspend this meeting,” an official said.

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The controversy erupted following the federal government’s $102 million purchase of a large warehouse in Williamsport. There are plans to transform the building into an immigrant processing facility that would house 1,500 immigrants. The facility would be one of 16 new facilities in the country.

Washington County leaders formally backed federal immigration authorities earlier this month. However, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown had other ideas.

On Monday, Brown filed a federal complaint against the Department of Homeland Security, writing, “In their zeal to purchase and convert the Williamsport Warehouse into an immigration detention facility, Defendants have run roughshod over federal law and trampled on the State’s interests.”

The complaint accused the federal government of ignoring environmental concerns and public input on the project. Brown said the lawsuit seeks to stop work and force additional review.

“We’re asking the court to halt construction of this facility. We’re asking the court to require a proper environmental review with full public input. And we’re asking the court to declare what the administration did here was unlawful,” Brown said.

County leaders, however, insisted their ability to intervene is limited. In a statement, they wrote:

Generally, the Federal Government does not need to respect local zoning regulations that conflict with federal mandates. Washington County is not able to legally restrict the federal government’s ability to proceed.

The county’s resolution supporting ICE passed, but the meeting ended amid loud outcry after a vote and a gavel slam.