Waldorf, Maryland – A man was arrested early Friday after allegedly stealing a tractor cab in Waldorf and leading deputies on a brief multi-county pursuit, prompting a coordinated law enforcement response.
According to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office, a patrol officer was flagged down around 2 a.m. in the area of Ell Lane and Route 5 by a victim reporting that their 2015 Kenworth truck tractor had been stolen. The vehicle was actively being tracked using a GPS device, which showed it traveling southbound on Route 5.
Deputies located the tractor in the area of Leonardtown Road and Brandywine Road and attempted to initiate a traffic stop. Authorities said the driver allegedly refused to stop and continued traveling south into St. Mary’s County.
St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office deputies were notified and assisted by controlling intersections and deploying stop sticks. The vehicle was disabled near Friendship School Road, where the driver was taken into custody without further incident.
Investigators later determined the tractor had been stolen from a service center parking lot in Waldorf.
The suspect, identified by authorities as Berek Etshe Beyene, age 27, of Silver Spring, Maryland, was charged with motor vehicle theft and multiple traffic violations. Court records show that on Wednesday, a judge ordered Beyene could be released from the Charles County Detention Center on a $5,000 bond.
No injuries were reported during the incident.
The early-morning chase briefly affected traffic along Route 5, a key commuter corridor for Southern Maryland residents traveling between Charles and St. Mary’s counties.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
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