Police have identified a suspect that could crack a case of “eggings” on Wye Oak Drive — a dean at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.
Nicholas R. Blanchard, the 48-year-old dean of the UMES School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, was charged Tuesday with one count of malicious destruction of property in a case Fruitland police say involved egg thrown on a vehicle on Blanchard’s street of town homes in a community called Cedar Commons.
Police had posted additional patrols in the area of Wye Oak Drive after almost a dozen complaints from residents since October about eggs thrown on their vehicles, said Fruitland Police Department Sgt. Chris Shockley. Most of the incidents happened to vehicles parked in spaces near Blanchard’s residence.
Blanchard was informed of the criminal charge through a summons served by Fruitland police. The charge was filed after a witness told police they saw the accused throwing an egg at the witness’ property, Shockley said. Blanchard was not arrested, but rather, informed of the charge and a pending court date, police said.
Police hope egg-throwing incidents in the neighborhood are over. “We’ve had numerous complaints over the past month of egging,” Shockley said Tuesday. “We stepped up patrols in the area because of the complaints. It happened in the same location each time — hitting different cars.
“A neighbor saw the (alleged) act occur, and the criminal summons was issued,” the sergeant also said.
During a period of about six weeks, complaints to police came from different residents in a 10-unit building on Wye Oak Drive, located across the parking lot from the building in which Blanchard lives, Shockley said. “It sounds like a neighbor feud got out of control,” he said.
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