Police: Two Men Charged for Assaulting Man at Homeless Encampment

Police said they arrested two men living at a homeless encampment in Westminster after they assaulted a third man living at the camp Wednesday evening.

At approximately 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said they responded to a wooded area adjacent to the CSX train tracks approximately 300 yards South of Goodwin’s Quarry Road for a report of an injured person. 

According to a police report, deputies found a group of apparently intoxicated homeless people at a makeshift campsite, and began administering first aid to a 48-year-old man found bleeding from his right thigh. The man was conscious, but had a swollen left eye as well as cuts and abrasions on his face, according to police. Paramedics transported him to Carroll Hospital Center where he was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Police said the altercation stemmed from romantic interests in a woman who was also at the camp. When the injured man arrived at the camp, another camper, Richard Eugene Tracey Jr. approached him and asked him to leave.

When the man refused to leave, another camper, Timothy Robert Smith approached the man and punched him in the face, knocked him to the ground and continued to punch him in the face several times according to police reports.

Tracey then approached the injured man and stabbed the man in the thigh with a knife, police said.

Police arrested Smith and Tracey and transported them to Carroll County Central Booking where they were charged with second degree assault.  Additionally, Tracey was also charged with first degree assault, carrying a dangerous weapon with intent to injure, reckless endangerment and disorderly intoxication.

The remaining campers were told to vacate the property no later than Monday, Nov. 12.  Sheriff’s personnel will work with Public Works and Citizen Services officials to relocate any remaining campers. 

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Detective Corporal Dayton of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office at 410-386-2572.