Cambridge Police Make Firearms Arrest using Drone Surveillance
CAMBRIDGE, Md. – The Cambridge Police Department (CPD) has arrested a man after they located him using drone surveillance on Thursday afternoon.
Police arrested 33-year-old Wayne Cornish, Jr. of Cambridge on a litany of charges, including firearm possession with previous felony convictions, loaded handgun on a person and in a vehicle, and related gun and traffic charges. He was later turned over to the Dorchester County Department of Corrections where he is being held without bond.
The department says the arrest was one of two made during a Proactive Enforcement Operation in the areas of Elm and Pine Streets, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Mar. 19. The operation was initiated following constant complaints of trespassing and controlled dangerous substance (CDS) activity in the area.
During the operation, the CPD Drone Unit observed a vehicle on Elm Street. The drone was able to keep observing the vehicle as it left the area and relay information to other units in patrol vehicles. The drone spotted the car commit multiple traffic violations, including the vehicle running stop signs on High Street and Washington Street.
CPD Patrol units proceeded to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle on Greenwood Avenue. They contacted the sole occupant, later identified as Cornish. He was non-compliant with officers after being requested to exit the vehicle. In fear of Cornish fleeing from the stop, officers placed a tire deflation device, called a “Stop Stick Terminator”, under a rear tire of Cornish’s vehicle.
Cornish then fled from the traffic stop, causing CPD to pursue the vehicle. The tire deflation device successfully deflated the rear tire. The pursuit continued down neighboring streets before Cornish’s vehicle went off road on Hubert Street to Park Lane, going in the wrong direction. At this point, a “Star Chase” tracking device was placed on the vehicle on Park Lane. The vehicle then turned onto Clinton Steet, losing control by spinning out from the deflated tire. CPD Officers were able to extract the driver from the vehicle without further incident.
A CPD K9 Unit conducted a sniff of the vehicle for the presence of a CDS, which resulted in a positive alert. During a search of the vehicle, a loaded Ruger handgun was located under the driver seat, along with a digital scale containing suspected Cocaine residue. Cornish was placed under arrest and transported to CPD for processing. He was later found to be prohibited from possessing a firearm.
