Sentencing Rescheduled
Sentencing for Prescott Sigmund has been pushed back. “He’s asked for a psychological evaluation,” said U.S. Attorney Channing Phillips, a prosecutor in the case.
Sentencing in the case had been set for June 19, however, the evaluation could not be completed by that date. Since members of the family wish to be present, the attorneys in the case will contact them and reschedule the sentencing date on June 5.
Sigmund pleaded guilty to charges stemming from an attempt to kill his father with a pipe bomb on July 12, 2002. Instead, his brother, Wright Sigmund was critically injured. Prescott Sigmund, who was a River Falls resident at the time of the bombing, then fled the area. He turned himself over to authorities in Montana in November after an episode of America’s Most Wanted included a segment on the case.
Teen Sentenced
Andrew Klepper, 15, of Potomac has been sentenced for his involvement in a sexual assault and robbery in his Quarry Ridge Way home in November.
Klepper was sentenced as an adult.
“We thought it was critical that he plead to adult court,” said State’s Attorney Doug Gansler. “If he were to re-offend, he’s a repeat offender with two felony convictions and a misdemeanor on his record.”
Klepper will receive a 15-year suspended sentence and five years probation. If he violates probation during the five-year period, the 15-year sentence would be implemented.
He has been in a juvenile institution in Tennessee and will remain there for a total of two years, then he will be transferred to a “reform school” for two more years, Gansler said.
Another 15-year-old juvenile sentenced in the case will remain in juvenile custody and must be released by the time he turns 21. He will not have an adult criminal record.
Gansler explained Klepper was dealt with more harshly because he was the ring-leader. “He was the one who carried it out,” Gansler said.
The third teen, Young Song, 19 of Cabin John has plead guilty and is scheduled for sentencing on June 19.
The three youths lured a woman who advertised on the internet as an adult entertainer to Klepper’s home on a school day. When she arrived, they assaulted her and then took her to the home’s basement where she was assaulted.
Cash and her cell phone were stolen before the three released her.
Tree Crushes Man
A Virginia man had his right leg crushed by a tree on Pyle Road in Bethesda on May 30.
The 38 year-old resident and owner of a tree care company in Richardsville, Va. was cutting down an 80 foot tall, 36-inch diameter maple tree at a private residence near Walt Whitman High School. “He was making the cut himself,” said Chief Jim Seavey of Cabin John Station.
Crews from Cabin John and Bethesda responded to the scene. It took approximately one hour to free the man with crews eventually needing to employ the jaws of life to lift a section of the tree trunk.
He had multiple fractures to his leg and foot. “He was not a happy camper despite the morphine they were pumping into him,” Seavey said.
A helicopter unit landed on fields at Walt Whitman High School, since it had initially been feared that he would need to be transported to Union Memorial Hospital in Baltimore for an amputation, Seavey said. However, after an on-site evaluation, it was determined that would not be necessary and he was taken to Suburban Hospital.
Woman Dies From Crash Injuries
Vaidehi Patel, 32 of Potomac Falls, Va., died as a result of injuries sustained in a March collision on MacArthur Boulevard.
ON March 26 at approximately 6:30 p.m. Patel was driving southbound on MacArthur near Stable Lane when her car collided with one driven by Richard Roomberg, 36 of the 300 block of Leafcup Road in North Potomac, according to police reports.
For unknown reasons, Roomberg’s vehicle crossed the centerline and struck Patel’s car, driving over a portion of the hood. Roomberg’s car rolled onto the driver’s side against an embankment while Patel’s spun counter-clockwise and came to rest in the center of the roadway.
Patel was taken to Suburban Hospital for treatment. She died on May 7. Montgomery County Police say her death was a direct result of her injuries sustained in the crash.
Roomberg was not injured. He has been charged with failure to stay to the right of the center line. Police are currently consulting with the State’s Attorney’s Office to determine if other charges will be filed.
The Nominees Are …
The Potomac Chamber of Commerce is starting its search for nominees for Businessperson of the Year, Citizen of the Year and Youth of the Year for 2003.
These awards are given annually by the Potomac Chamber of Commerce and are presented annually at the Potomac Day Parade, this year scheduled for Oct. 25.
Businessperson of the year must work or do business in Potomac (20854 zip code), be a member of the Potomac Chamber and must have benefited the community. Citizen of the year can be a private citizen or organization that has benefited the local, regional or national community. Youth of the year must live or attend high school in Potomac. Youths must be nominated by their school principals or counselors.
Nomination forms and guidelines may be obtained from Fred Goldman 301-294-0007, fax 301-294-9055. The deadline for entries is Sept. 26.
Residential Burglary
Between 11 p.m. on May 21 and 6 a.m. on May 22 a home on the 10100 block of Snowhill Lane in Potomac was broken into. Suspects entered through the garage door and took a computer, wallet and cash.