Latest news with #Kepp
The Sun
22-04-2025
- Automotive
- The Sun
Urgent warning to homeowners over little-known ‘loophole' that allows neighbours to park on your driveway for free
HOMEOWNERS are being warned over a little-known parking loophole that could leave you fuming. Experts have raised the alarm after revealing there's no law stopping people from leaving their motor on someone else's private drive - and shockingly, even the council or police might not step in. 3 3 Drivers have been slapped with a warning over a bizarre legal loophole that could see complete strangers park on your private driveway - and get away with it scot-free. Experts at car leasing site LeaseLoco have raised the alarm, revealing there's no law to stop cheeky motorists from dumping their car on your property, even though it's a 'clear violation' of personal space. Boss John Wilmot said: 'Many homeowners are shocked to discover that a stranger parking in their driveway isn't actually a criminal offence, despite it being a clear violation of personal space. "This legal grey area can be frustrating, especially if you live in a busy area where it happens regularly, so it's important to take steps to prevent unwanted parking in the first place." So, what's the solution? John suggested: "While the most effective way to protect your property is installing a driveway gate, putting out simple deterrents like parking bollards or posts, cones and signs can also help to prevent strangers from parking in your driveway. "If you do find yourself in a situation where you come home and see a stranger parking on your property, remember to never take matters into your own hands, or it can land you in serious trouble." He added: "On the flip side, if you live near venues or in busy areas, this situation can be turned into an opportunity, as you could allow other motorists to park in your driveway - on your own terms. "Renting out your driveway when you're not using it is becoming increasingly popular and can be a great way to earn some extra income." He urged Brits to take action now to stop unwelcome drivers, especially in packed neighbourhoods where it could become a regular nightmare. Drivers face instant $1,000 fine under newly passed 'Kepp's law' – common road mistake will bring hefty fees Meanwhile, millions of Brits could be breaking the Highway Code every single day - just by the way they park on their own driveway. Motor experts have issued a warning to homeowners, revealing that pulling in forwards instead of reversing could land you in hot water for 'careless' driving. According to the Highway Code, reversing into your driveway is safer and reduces the risk of hitting a pedestrian or another road user - but it's a rule many admit they're clueless about. Car pros at Yell branded the mistake a 'bad habit' that's gone under the radar, urging drivers to think twice before swinging their motors in nose-first. Most common illegal driving activities Here's a list of reckless driving behaviour and the fines and penalties you risk getting from it. Using phone while driving A cheeky glance at a phone screen will result in six penalty points on your licence and a £200 fine. New drivers might lose their licence if caught doing so within two years of obtaining it. Speeding Lovers of fast and furious will end up with a minimum of three points and a £100 fine. Running a red light This offence will incur three points and £100 fine. Middle lane hogging It constitutes careless driving and police will hand you a £100 fine with three penalty points. Undertaking This could possibly result in three points on your licence and a £100 fine. The experts said: "It's a habit many drivers don't think twice about - pulling straight into the driveway after a long day, ready to head inside and relax. "But did you know that this common parking manoeuvre could actually go against Highway Code guidance? "According to the rules of the road, drivers should reverse into their driveways rather than driving in forward and reversing out later. "While there's no specific law against it, reversing onto a busy road can be seen as careless and inconsiderate driving, especially if it causes an obstruction or puts other road users at risk." 3
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Yahoo
Frederick man faces neary 30 years in prison for high-speed crash that caused Montgomery County police sergeant to lose legs
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. () — A Frederick man was found guilty of hitting a Montgomery County police sergeant during a high-speed chase in 2023, seriously injuring the officer and causing him to lose both of his legs. Raphael Mayorga, 21, faces up to 28 years in prison for the Gaithersburg collision that happened in the early morning hours of Oct. 18, 2023. Mayorga – who was 19 years old at the time – was speeding in the northbound lanes of I-270, with his Dodge Challenger reaching speeds of over 160 miles per hour. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Officer loses legs after driver 'intentionally' hit him on I-270 in Montgomery County, police say As Montgomery County Department of Police (MCPD) officers tried stopping the Dodge with stop sticks, Mayorga veered to the left and struck Sgt. Patrick Kepp. Even though he hit someone, he did not brake and continued further north on the interstate. MCPD was eventually able to disable his car with another set of stop sticks. Mayorga tried fleeing on foot but was apprehended by responding officers. The Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office noted he had multiple previous interactions with Kepp, and the two reportedly knew each other. Witnesses told officials that they saw the Dodge drive directly into Kepp's path, despite having the opportunity to veer to the right and avoid striking him. After the crash, Kepp was hospitalized with serious, life-threatening injuries. His injuries were so severe that both of his legs were amputated. He returned to the streets in November 2024. RELATED COVERAGE: Montgomery County officer who lost legs plans return to impaired driver enforcement 'Montgomery County Police Sgt. Pat Kepp is a hero. He is a role model to many in our community and across our country. He has bravely overcome his traumatic injuries to return to the police work he so clearly loves. We are fortunate that Sgt. Kepp is alive today and already back on duty,' Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich stated. About a year and a half after the collision, a jury found Mayorga guilty of second-degree assault, failure to return and remain at the scene of an accident resulting in serious bodily injury and other related charges. He was acquitted, however, of attempted first- and second-degree murder, as well as first-degree assault, drawing criticism from Elrich, who said he was 'so deeply disappointed.' PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Driver accused of 'intentionally' hitting officer on I-270 in Montgomery County held without bond I know this isn't the outcome we were hoping for, and we felt this crime deserved a stiffer penalty. We appreciate the work of State Senator Nancy King and State Delegate Gregory Wims on the legislation recently passed in the General Assembly to deter this type of unacceptable recklessness. You should not be able to drive at outrageous speeds and go free because we can't chase you. Senseless incidents like this should not occur in our County or anywhere. This jury missed an opportunity to deliver a serious message to those who use our roads like a racetrack. To Sgt. Kepp, we thank you for your courage, bravery and continued service to our community. Your tireless advocacy on behalf of the State legislation was instrumental in its passage. Marc Elrich, Montgomery County Executive His sentencing is scheduled for Aug. 27, where he faces up to 28 years, plus 120 days in prison. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Trial begins for Maryland driver accused of intentionally hitting police officer
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. - It may be judgment day for a Montgomery County man accused of purposely trying to run down a police officer on I-270. The officer lost both of his legs in the high-speed collision back in October 2023. The jury heard closing arguments Thursday in the attempted first-degree murder trial of Raphael Mayorga — the man prosecutors say tried to kill a Montgomery County police officer by intentionally running his car into him on 1-270 about a year and a half ago. What we know Police Sgt. Pat Kepp lost both of his legs in the crash early in the morning of Oct. 18, 2023. According to police, Mayorga was seen doing doughnuts in his lime-green Dodge Challenger, getting on and off of the highway wildly, swerving and speeding. After he nearly ran another car off of the road, police made the decision to deploy stop sticks. Prosecutors say Kepp was standing in the left lanes of northbound I-270 in Gaithersburg, about to deploy stop sticks to stop the vehicle, which was going 162 miles an hour — three times the posted speed limit. The prosecution says as Mayorga came up the highway, he saw Kepp and intentionally moved from the middle lanes to the far left lanes, barreling down the road toward Kepp's patrol car, eventually striking the officer. They say continued Mayorga continued speeding down the highway until he hit stop sticks laid out by another officer. Mayorga is facing first and second-degree attempted murder and assault charges. Police say he also had a female passenger with him and was driving without a license. The other side The defense's argument is that the collision was not intentional, and that Mayorga did not try to kill Kepp. In an interview with detectives played in court, Mayorga said he saw the officer standing in the roadway, hit the brakes and tried to swerve. He claimed he didn't know he'd hit the officer and only heard a tire pop. But Kepp's dashboard camera video — before and after impact — shows Mayorga never slowed down. The backstory Montgomery County prosecutors say Mayorga, who was 19 at the time of the incident, had been known to bait police. They say he had also been arrested by Kepp once for speeding. Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy spoke about Mayorga's history with the police department back in October when the crash happened. "Between April 28 and June 1 of this year, on four separate occasions, he [Mayorga] baited the police here in Montgomery County into high-speed chases along 270. That was effectively what he was doing again on this particular evening," McCarthy said, referring to the crash on I-270. "During some of the previous chases, they [police] would actually make phone calls to him. They knew who he was, he knew who they were, and he dared them to try and catch him." "In the four previous chases, he outran the police. There are limitations on police pursuit policies and what they're allowed to do. He got away from the police," McCarthy added. "An arrest warrant was issued for him. It took a certain number of days before that arrest warrant could be served." Moving forward Kepp, an 11-year police veteran, has since advocated for traffic safety to state legislators. He also testified on the opening day of the trial Monday.
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Yahoo
Former president allegedly stole $26K from football club
NANTICOKE, LUZERNE COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — Police have charged the former president of the Nanticoke 12th Man Booster Club with stealing over $26,000 from the organization. According to the Nanticoke City Police Department, in October 2023 the new booster club treasurer, Wendy Graves, noticed missing funds from the organization's bank account. Graves then contacted 47-year-old Sterling Kepp, of Nanticoke, the president of the Nanticoke 12th Man Football Club, who police say handled all the financial responsibilities of the club. SNAP funds stolen from 17 Pennsylvanians, over $8,000 lost Police said before discovering the missing funds, Kepp refused to give Graves online access to the club's bank account. After being questioned further regarding the account balance, Kepp admitted to Graves that he 'owed the booster club money and would make it right,' as stated in the affidavit. After reviewing financial records from the club's PNC Bank account, detectives determined from July 2022 through October 2023 the total amount of missing money was $26,543.22. Kepp has been charged with theft by unlawful taking. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
20-02-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Proposed Maryland bill would crack down on reckless driving with court-ordered technology
There's a new bill some Maryland lawmakers are considering to help crack down on dangerous driving. House Bill 1139 would allow a judge to order an Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) device in the cars of drivers who have been convicted of reckless driving multiple times. Calling on lawmakers Montgomery County Police Sgt. Patrick Kepp testified to lawmakers about HB 1139 on Thursday afternoon. "Traffic enforcement making those traffic stops trying to take the dangerous off the road or stop them from continuing those driving behaviors is really important to me," Kepp said. Kepp lost both of his legs after a speeding driver intentionally hit him in October 2023. He spent months in the hospital recovering and he is now able to walk using prosthetics. Kepp said he hopes if this bill is passed the ISA device will help change how people drive and make roads safer. Reckless driving incidents in Maryland In 2023, Maryland experienced 7,705 speed-involved crashes resulting in 102 fatalities and 3,225 injuries. On March 22, 2023, six highway workers were killed in a work zone on I-695 in Baltimore County. Troopers said two cars crashed at a high rate of speed. One of the cars careened into the work zone. "We recognize speed is certainly a danger on our roadways no matter where you are driving, whether you're on a highway or whether you're driving in a city," said Ragina Ali, with AAA's Public and Government Affairs. Baltimore County delegate Nick Allen is sponsoring HB1139 in hopes of changing this data. Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) Intelligent Speed Assistance (ISA) device is a type of technology designed to keep drivers within the speed limit. HB 1139 would allow judges to order ISA technology for drivers convicted of reckless driving, racing, or speeding-related license suspensions. If convicted multiple times, reckless drivers would be required to install an ISA device in their vehicles. Unlike traditional speed devices, this one would permanently cap a car's speed at no more than nine mph over the speed limit. The system adjusts based on location. "The idea here is again it is a tool in the toolbox to make sure that people who commit these infractions are held accountable," explained Delegate Nick Allen. Kepp said he hopes if the bill is passed it will help change how people drive. "We're just trying to make sure we can stop those behaviors before or curb those behaviors before the result of someone like me or another community member getting stuck, injured or potentially killed," said Kepp. Legislation similar to this has been passed in Washington D.C. and introduced in Virginia, Arizona, and other states. You can read more about HB 1139 here.
