3 men, teen arrested in connection to Maryland car rallies

Most of the people who shop at the Safeway on Connecticut Avenue in Kensington, Maryland would be absolutely shocked at what took place there during the overnight hours in early April.

It was a scene of absolute chaos inside the grocery store parking garage at 2:30 a.m. April 4.

Security camera video shows a man in a black sweatshirt with a white design, with a gun in his right hand. He walks toward a group of people gathered for a car rally and meet-up. The video shows muzzle flashes as he fires the weapon.

Two people were injured.

Police say 19-year-old Hermes Matewere of Laurel, Maryland is now charged with first degree assault, reckless endangerment and several firearms violations.

That shooting happened six weeks after another chaotic car rally Feb. 22 at the intersection of Connecticut Avenue and East West Highway in Chevy Chase near the Columbia Country Club. Rally goers could be seen blocking responding Montgomery County Police cruisers as officers responded. One man sprayed a fire extinguisher onto an officer’s windshield.

“This thing keeps evolving, and before when the police showed up, they would run and run off to another area. Now, they feel emboldened for whatever reason,” said Assistant Chief Darren Francke with Montgomery County police.

Police released an image of one of the damaged police cruisers.

Police say 18-year-old Ayden Joseph Cline of Cumberland, Pennsylvania jumped onto a cruiser waving a lit flare and has now been charged as an adult with crimes that include reckless endangerment and malicious destruction of property. Novorriya Gregory Smith Jr. of Lusby, Maryland, is accused of smashing the rear window of an officer’s cruiser and then pulling down his pants to expose himself to the officer. The 20 year-old is facing multiple charges.

Both men are being held without bond until their next court appearance.

A 17-year-old arrested in connection with the February melee was released to his parent’s custody.