SUMMER of THE
&
SUPERHEROES
The season assembles with Free Comic Book Day, box office blockbusters and local guy-turnedterminator J. August Richards as the cyborg Deathlok in “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.”
The Gazette GAITHERSBURG | MONTGOMERY VILLAGE
DAILY UPDATES ONLINE www.gazette.net
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Wednesday, April 30, 2014
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Bomb threats at two high schools cause evacuations
Marching for babies
No devices found in search of Northwest, Northwood high schools n
BY LINDSAY A. POWERS AND SARAH SCULLY STAFF WRITERS
Bomb threats at two Montgomery County high schools caused students to be evacuated while police searched the buildings Tuesday morning. Police did not find anything in searches of Northwood High School in Silver Spring and Northwest High School in Germantown, according to Montgomery County Police Officer Janelle Smith. One bomb threat was called in to Northwood at 9:29 a.m. and another threat was called
in to Northwest at 9:32 a.m., according to county police spokeswoman Angela Cruz. Dana Tofig, a spokesman for Montgomery County Public Schools, said both schools were evacuated as a precaution and students were able to return to their classes. “We will continue to have as normal a day as possible,” he said in a Tuesday email. Outside of Northwest High School dozens of parents waited outside the school and more lined the surrounding blocks in cars. Many had received calls and texts from their children who are students at the school. “My son called and he said that they’d been standing outside for an hour and a half
See THREATS, Page A-11
GREG DOHLER/THE GAZETTE
Alanna Markley (front, right) of Germantown and her daughter, Haylie, 8 months, and Jamie Bickford (left) of Germantown and her daughters Lily, 3, and Cora, 16 months, walk with other participants around Washingtonian Lake in Gaithersburg during the March of Dimes Montgomery March for Babies on Sunday. The event raised money to prevent birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality.
Dine and dash and splash n
Gaithersburg eatery appeals disturbance charge in case where diner ditched check BY JENN DAVIS STAFF WRITER
Joe’s Crab Shack in Rio Washingtonian Center is appealing a $15,000 fine and disturbance charge that stemmed from an incident where workers there tossed an underaged customer who failed to pay his bill into the lake. On Sept. 12, 2013, officers from Gaith-
ersburg and Montgomery County police departments responded to the lake near the Marriott Courtyard Gaithersburg Washingtonian Center hotel after receiving a call that someone had been pushed into the water, according to a police incident report. George Robert Assouad, 20, of Shirley, N.Y., was rescued out of the water by three friends before officers arrived, the report said. Further investigation showed that Assouad had been part of a large group that had been drinking at Joe’s Crab Shack earlier in the evening. When he and other members of his party left the restaurant
without paying their tabs, an altercation between Assouad and restaurant employees ensued, according to the report. “...witnesses stated that some of the bartenders and employees confronted the victim and after words were exchanged, threw him into the lake,” the report said. Assouad gave descriptions of the four restaurant employees involved to police, the report said. The employees were later stopped at Guapo’s Cantina and Grill by police and identified by Assouad. At the time, Assouad said he did not want to press charges, according to the
DAN GROSS/THE GAZETTE
At left Jaqueline Queirolo Anderson hugs her cousin Giandre Leon after he was released from Northwest High School. The school had received a bomb threat Tuesday and eventually released students to a parent or guardian.
North Potomac father in drug, weapon case placed on probation
See DINE, Page A-11
Son facing charges as a juvenile; his online photos allegedly helped authorities n
Kentlands Day festivities on the horizon About 115 local businesses ready to show off
n
BY JENN
DAVIS
STAFF WRITER
More than 20,000 people are expected to stream into Kentlands Market Square Saturday for the sixth annual Kentlands Day, a celebration that unites families, businesses,
nonprofit organizations and community groups for one day of neighborhood fun. Beginning at 10 a.m., a parade full of local marching band students, boy scout troops, elected officials and other groups will kick off the event. The parade route will start near the Main Street Farmers’ Market, run down Main Street, up Market Street West and then onto Center Point Way to the Market Square area. The entire event will be
from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Kentlands Market Square, 105 Market St., Gaithersburg. A business fair and the “Taste of Kentlands” will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., allowing about 115 local businesses and restaurants to showcase their services and goods. Twelve food vendors from the Kentlands and Gaithersburg area, like Chick-fil-A and Potomac Pizza, will be selling
See KENTLANDS, Page A-11
NEWS
SPORTS
Students march to boost knowledge about the achievement gap.
More advanced high school softball pitching increases injury risk.
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MINORITIES RAISE AWARENESS
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IF YOU GO
BY TIFFANY ARNOLD STAFF WRITER
Kentlands Day
A North Potomac dad whose son’s Instragram posts of drugs and weapons led to their arrests in 2013 was sentenced to four years probation for contributing to the delinquency of a minor. Under the terms of the sentence, Darel Gettier, 64, was required to make a $2,500 donation to the Wounded Warriors Fund and had to give up his
n When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 3 n Where: Kentlands Market Square, 105 Market St., Gaithersburg n Cost: Free n For information: kentlandsday@gmail. com
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guns, state’s attorney’s spokesman Ramon Korionoff said. Gettier pleaded guilty to the charge April 10, court records show. He was initially charged with seven other criminal counts, but those were dropped. Police alleged in court filings that Gettier’s North Potomac residence had been label as a “problem house,” the site of frequent parties and the place where teens bought drugs from Gettier’s teenage son during school hours. Investigators said they were tipped off by the son’s Instagram account, where more than
See PROBATION, Page A-11
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