Vehicles

Several vehicles became disabled Sunday afternoon on Interstate 70 east of Clear Spring after they struck a pothole, according to a Washington County 911 spokesman and Maryland State Police. The pothole caused some flat tires, and it was unclear how many cars were disabled, police and the 911 spokesman said. State highway crews patched the hole, according to K.D. Scheer, spokesman for Maryland State Police. The pothole, which was reported on eastbound I-70 around the 20-mile marker, was reported at about 4:14 p.m., the 911 spokesman said.

Local police in recent months have noticed an increase in thefts from vehicles and are urging people to keep doors on vehicles locked and to remove valuables like GPS units, iPods, tools, jewelry, purses, wallets and cash. Capt. Mark Holtzman of the Hagerstown Police Department said there were about 20 instances of valuables being stolen from cars in North Hagerstown on July 9. The thefts occurred the area of Lindsay Lane and Fairchild, Pennsylvania and Belview avenues, Holtzman said.

Seven utility-terrain vehicles valued at more than $72,000 were taken from Antietam Tractor and Equipment on Leitersburg Pike, Maryland State Police said. The first incident occurred on April 21, when three Kubota UTVs were taken at night from the store at 20927 Leitersburg Pike near Hagerstown, police said in a news release. The vehicles were valued at more than $27,000. Four other Kubotas were taken on May 7, police said. But those vehicles, which were valued at more than $45,000, were found in a nearby wooded area.

What are the regulations in Maryland for obtaining historic tags for your car or truck? Once you get the historic registration, are there restrictions for how you are allowed to use the vehicle? The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration website at www.mva.maryland.gov provides the following information about historic registration: To qualify for historic registration, your vehicle must not have been substantially altered, remodeled or remanufactured from its original design; must be a passenger vehicle, motorcycle or truck (with a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 pounds or less)

Washington County Sheriff's Office authorities have charged a man in connection with about $8,965 worth of damage to vehicles in the Williamsport area. Daniel Alfred Lavasseur, 56, no fixed address, has been charged with 28 counts of malicious destruction of property over $500, according to a news release. On Nov. 6, the sheriff's office was notified about damage to tires of 28 vehicles parked in the area of North Conococheague Street in Williamsport, the release said. Security footage captured an image of a male puncturing the tires of several vehicles, the release said.

Two motorists were flown to a Virginia hospital Saturday after two vehicles collided head-on on Hedgesville Road just west of Hedgesville, according to a Berkeley County Sheriff's Office news release. The crash in the area of BJ Dennie Lane was reported at 5:26 p.m., and Hedgesville Road was shut down for about 90 minutes, according to deputies and a Berkeley County emergency communications supervisor. Emergency responders had to cut open the vehicles to remove the motorists, who then were flown to Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., deputies said.

The Hagerstown Fire Department was at the scene of a garage fire Friday night in what appeared to be a auto shop to the rear of 36 E. Franklin St. Combustible materials too close to a woodstove was the apparent cause of the fire, which damaged several vehicles and motorcycles, Hagerstown City Fire Marshal Doug DeHaven said. The fire was called in at 8:51 p.m. and took about 15 minutes to bring under control, Battalion Chief Russell Grim said. There were about six cars and three or four motorcycles in the three-bay garage that faced onto Center Alley, he said.

Two local residents have new wheels — thanks to local repair shops that gave away refurbished vehicles as contest prizes, in time for Christmas. Michael Lindsay Jr. of Hagerstown and Beth Powell of Clear Spring were asked to be at Scott's Speed Shop in Hagerstown on Thursday, but weren't told exactly why. Lindsay knew he was a finalist in the free vehicle contest. Powell thought she was competing to get a free car repair. Shortly before 2:30 p.m., Scott Hoffman of Scott's Speed Shop announced the prizes — a 2000 Ford Focus for Lindsay, a 1999 Dodge Caravan for Powell.

MERCERSBURG, Pa. - Pennsylvania State Police said they were investigating a Sunday night incident in which shots were fired at passing vehicles in the 10000 block of Garnes Road. No one was injured in the incident, which was reported about 9 p.m., police said. Two of the victims were identified as Brandon Divelbliss, 19, and Benjamin Brewer, 18, both of Mercersburg. A third unidentified motorist was also fired at, police said. Pennsylvania State Police were asking that anyone with information call them at 717-264-5161.

The southbound lanes of Interstate 81 were shut down near the 23-mile marker Thursday night after two vehicles flipped into a concrete barrier wall, according to a Berkeley County 911 supervisor. The supervisor said he does not have any information about possible injuries. Southbound traffic was being routed off the interstate onto U.S. 11, the supervisor said at about 10:45 p.m.

Both eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 at Exit 32 (U.S. 40) were closed Saturday at approximately 5 p.m. due to a vehicle fire, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation's website. No further information was available.

A Hagerstown man charged in a fatal vehicle crash in October 2012 that killed his brother and left another man paralyzed waived his right to a preliminary hearing Thursday in Berkeley County Magistrate Court.  Timothy Lee Kegarise, 33, is charged with single felony counts of driving under the influence with death and destruction of property, and one misdemeanor count of DUI with injury. Kegarise's brother, Thomas L. Kegarise, also of Hagerstown, died in the Oct. 11 crash on Hedgesville Road, which is also W.Va.

The southbound lanes of Interstate 81 were shut down near the 23-mile marker Thursday night after two vehicles flipped into a concrete barrier wall, according to a Berkeley County 911 supervisor. The supervisor said he does not have any information about possible injuries. Southbound traffic was being routed off the interstate onto U.S. 11, the supervisor said at about 10:45 p.m.

Seven utility-terrain vehicles valued at more than $72,000 were taken from Antietam Tractor and Equipment on Leitersburg Pike, Maryland State Police said. The first incident occurred on April 21, when three Kubota UTVs were taken at night from the store at 20927 Leitersburg Pike near Hagerstown, police said in a news release. The vehicles were valued at more than $27,000. Four other Kubotas were taken on May 7, police said. But those vehicles, which were valued at more than $45,000, were found in a nearby wooded area.

A car being driven by a Baltimore woman ended up on its side in a wooded area along Interstate 81 near Hagerstown Wednesday afternoon after she swerved to miss tire debris in the road, according to Maryland State Police. Shantee M. Davis, 35, was traveling south on I-81 near the U.S. 40 interchange at about 3 p.m. when she saw the piece of tire retread in the road, state police Cpl. Ryan Shaffer said. After swerving to miss it, Davis lost control of the Chrysler 300M, struck a curb along the edge of a U.S. 40 ramp and flipped off the right side of the interstate, Shaffer said.

Three people were being checked for minor injuries Tuesday afternoon after a passenger vehicle hit a guardrail on Rice Road, just off U.S. 40, according to Washington County Emergency Services. Two of the people refused treatment and the third person was taken to War Memorial Hospital in Berkeley Springs, W.Va., a 911 supervisor said. Rice Road is just east of Sideling Hill, west of Hancock. The accident was reported at about 5:20 p.m. Tuesday. - Julie E. Greene

A 18-year-old man died after he crashed his vehicle on Md. 194 north of Devilbiss Bridge Road Tuesday morning while trying to avoid a collision, according to Maryland State Police. Damian Cary Betts of Woodsboro, Md., was killed in the crash, police said in a news release. Betts was traveling south on Md. 194 when a northbound 2008 Volkswagen Rabbit being driven by Shaina Ray McCleaf, 22, of Woodsboro, Md., went toward the center line of Md. 194, police said. Betts tried to avoid a possible collision with McCleaf's car by steering sharply to the right, police said.

An accident, involving at least nine vehicles, closed the northbound lanes of the Interstate 81 for more than an hour, causing detours and delays for motorists. No fatalities were reported, but one vehicle passenger was flown to a hospital for serious injuries. The Berkeley County Sheriff's Department and the West Virginia State Police were investigating the crashes, which were attributed to heavy rainfall and low visibility. No further information on the accident was available Monday night.

The westbound lanes of Interstate 70 at the 29-mile marker are open again after a single-vehicle accident forced their closure for about two hours, a Washington County 911 supervisor said. The crash in the area of the Sharpsburg Pike interchange is being investigated by state police, the supervisor said. A Maryland State Police spokesman said a vehicle struck a guardrail, but he was not sure of the extent of injuries.

A Chambersburg man was taken to York (Pa.) Hospital on Thursday night after he was struck by a vehicle at 1071 Wayne Ave. in Chambersburg, borough police said. Donald Eugene Barnhart Jr., 19, was attempting to cross Wayne Avenue at about 8 p.m. when he was struck by a northbound vehicle driven by Erik N. McDonald of Chambersburg, according to a Chambersburg Police Department news release Barnhart ran across the road in front of McDonald's 1999 Dodge truck and was struck by the vehicle, police said.