Children In The Back: Police Arrest Man After Calvert County Pursuit

PRINCE FREDERICK, Md. — A Wyoming man was arrested in Calvert County after deputies said he fled the scene of a crash, led police on a pursuit and placed two children in danger during a series of traffic violations that ended with his arrest.

Z Ira Jenkins, 31, of Cheyenne, Wyoming, faces multiple misdemeanor charges, including two counts of neglect of a minor and three counts of reckless endangerment, stemming from an incident reported Jan. 12, 2026, according to the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies were dispatched shortly after 3 p.m. to the area of Patuxent Point Parkway and Route 4 for a reported hit-and-run crash. A 911 caller reported that a black Mercedes SUV had struck a vehicle at a traffic light and then left the scene. The caller further reported that the SUV appeared to run over an object and briefly stopped near a tree before driving away.

A deputy located the vehicle traveling northbound on Route 4 and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Police said the driver failed to stop despite emergency lights and sirens, continuing through multiple roadways at speeds estimated around 40 mph while driving erratically.

According to the statement of probable cause, the SUV repeatedly drove in circles near a traffic circle, entered oncoming lanes of traffic, failed to stop at a red light and narrowly avoided collisions with other vehicles. Deputies said the driver eventually turned onto Susan Lane, where the SUV came to a stop in the front yard of a residence.

Police said the driver exited the vehicle and ran toward a nearby house before being taken into custody by deputies. The driver was identified as Jenkins through his Wyoming driver’s license.

During the arrest, deputies discovered two minor children in the back seat of the vehicle. Officers also made contact with the front-seat passenger, identified as Jenkins’ fiancée, who told deputies Jenkins’ mental condition had deteriorated over several days and that he refused to stop the vehicle despite her pleas.

Jenkins was transported to the Calvert County Detention Center for processing. Court records show he was initially held without bond before being released on a $5,000 unsecured personal bond following a subsequent bail review hearing.

In addition to the criminal charges, Jenkins was cited for numerous traffic violations, including failure to stop after an accident, attempting to elude police, reckless driving and unsafe lane changes.

A competency hearing is scheduled for Jan. 28, 2026, and a trial date has been set for March 12, 2026, in Calvert District Court.

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