News Releases

Detectives Arrest Suspect For 2014 Carjacking in Bethesda; Two Suspects Still Outstanding

For Immediate Release: Monday, December 21, 2015

Detectives from the Montgomery County Police Department - Major Crimes Division have charged Wanya Shawn Simms, age 19, of the unit block of Chesapeake Street SE in Washington, DC, with an armed carjacking that occurred on November 5, 2014, in Bethesda. Detectives continue to investigate the identities of the other two suspects involved in this crime.

On November 5, 2014, at approximately 6:55 p.m., the Emergency Communications Center (9-1-1) received a call for an armed carjacking of a red Volvo SUV Sport, that had just occurred. A lookout for the carjacked vehicle was immediately broadcast to officers. At approximately 7:03 p.m., a Montgomery County police officer located the moving vehicle in the area of 16th Street and East-West Highway in Silver Spring. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle but it fled. Officers lost sight of the vehicle in the area of 14th Street and Primrose Road NW in D.C.

The vehicle was later located unoccupied in the 5300 block of 25th Avenue SE, Washington, DC. Investigators recovered DNA evidence from the vehicle and entered the DNA into a national database for analysis. On July 14, Montgomery County Police were notified that the DNA evidence recovered from the passenger area of the vehicle belonged to Wanya Shawn Simms.

On July 14, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Simms charging him with armed carjacking, armed robbery, theft of a motor vehicle, first-degree assault, use of a firearm in the commission of a felony, and theft over $1,000. On November 23, Simms was arrested by detectives on the strength of the Montgomery County warrant after being released from incarceration in Washington, DC on an unrelated charge. Simms was transported to the Central Processing Unit and was ordered held on a $500,000 bond.

Detectives are asking anyone with information about this carjacking or the unidentified suspects to call Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477) or leave a Crime Solvers tip here. Crime Solvers will pay a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information provided to them that leads to an arrest and/or indictment for this felony crime. Tipsters will remain anonymous.

RLG

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Release ID: 15-407
Media Contact: mcpnews 
Categories: press-releases