ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WMAR) — Charging documents reveal how a man caught on video sticking a woman with a suspected syringe also tried to poke others.
Last Tuesday, Anne Arundel County Police were notified of an assault that occurred at Christopher's grocery store on Shady Side Road in Churchton.
Kathryn Peters told officers she was returning a shopping cart at the front entrance of the store, when a man later identified as Thomas Bryon Stemen bumped into her from behind causing a sharp pain in her buttocks.
According to a police report Peters asked the man if he burnt her with a cigarette, at which point he allegedly said "ya it felt like a bee sting didn't it?"
Following the incident, Peters went home and felt something wet on her pants. When she looked, she noticed a small red spot with an apparent puncture wound.
Police went back to the store and reviewed surveillance footage.
In it, Stemen is seen walking behind Peters as she enters the store. He then appears to use his right hand to pull something out of his jacket, and poke Peters. Consistent with what she told police, Peters immediately reacts, at which point Stemen turns around and says something.
Police wrote that when they watched more video, Stemen was seen trying to 'stab' at least two other women in the same area of the store where he stuck Peters. Luckily, he missed and neither woman was hurt.
When officers went back to check on Peters, the red mark had grown to about four inches in diameter. Peters reported that she went to the hospital, where she underwent blood and urine tests. Doctors also prescribed her a 30-day cocktail.
After releasing store video to the media and public, police got a tip identifying Stemen as the suspect. When detectives compared a photo of Stemen with the video, police say it's clear he was the suspect.
Investigators found out where Stemen lived through a protective order previously filed against him, and served a search and seizure warrant on both his home and vehicle.
Inside the driver's side door, police found a large syringe with some form of liquid still inside. More syringes were also found in Stemen's home along with the same clothing he was seen wearing in the video.
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He was immediately arrested and taken into the police station for an interview.
In their report police say they asked Stemen what he was doing behind the women, to which he replied that he was doing nothing, just standing there.
Stemen is currently charged with first and second degree assault and reckless endangerment
