Sam Smedley, the owner of the Wetlands Golf Course outside Aberdeen, was arrested Saturday after allegedly firing guns out his pickup truck window while making obscene gestures at a woman who has fought his proposed development.
Over the past two years, residents of the neighboring Locksley Manor subdivision have complained that Smedley has tried to intimidate and harass them for their continued opposition to the land?s annexation into Aberdeen and the development that would follow. Around 5:40 p.m. Saturday, neighbors say, police caught him in the act.
Smedley was on the golf course, riding in his white pickup truck along the property line while firing guns out the window and flipping his middle finger at the family of neighbor Rosemary Queen, according to charging documents. Queen reported him to Maryland State Police, who could hear gunshots through the phone, the documents said.
In his truck, Smedley had more than 700 rounds for an assault rifle as well as a 12-gauge shotgun and a revolver. Spent rounds were found in the revolver, the assault rifle?s magazine was empty, and more empty casings were found inside the truck.
He was charged with having a handgun in a vehicle, reckless endangerment, reckless endangerment from a car and disorderly conduct. He was released after posting $50,000 bond Sunday.
Smedley, who did not return phone calls, had previously told The Examiner that his neighbors were reading too much into normal golf course operations ? including hunting and patrols for vandals who had ransacked his pro shop in March. Smedley had recently lost an ally in Mayor S. Fred Simmons, who had supported the annexation before being voted out last week.
“Quite frankly, when he had an assault rifle, it scared me to death,” said Queen, whose grandchildren were playing outside. “He could easily stand there and shoot it through my front door. It?s at the point where he could just go off.”
Queen is one of several residents suing the city to prevent the city council from considering a second attempt at annexing the land. She had reported hearing shots to the police last year, but Smedley allegedly left by the time police arrived, and sheriff?s deputies could not show that he was violating the law at the time.
Eight residents filed for peace orders against Smedley, threatening arrest if Smedley entered their property or started a conflict, said Paul Burkheimer, who lives across from the golf course?s third hole on Gilbert Road. But because they all live near Smedley?s golf course, their threats may not do much good, he said.
“When you tell me this guy is out with a 40-round magazine, suppose he goes out one day and says something to me and I answer?” Burkheimer said, “I could be lying there in blood with forty rounds in me.”
Examiner Staff Writer Matthew Santoni contributed to this story.
