LEXINGTON PARK, MD – Deputies from the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office have arrested and charged Malachi Alexander Steele, 22, of Lexington Park, in connection with three unprovoked assaults reported on Wednesday, November 6. One of the incidents left a victim with minor injuries that required hospitalization.
The first report reached the Sheriff’s Office at 10:32 a.m., detailing an assault near Great Mills Road and South Coral Drive. Subsequent calls described similar assaults in the same vicinity. Deputies promptly responded and conducted an extensive search of the area, ultimately apprehending Steele at approximately 11:55 a.m.
Steele faces charges including one count of first-degree assault, three counts of second-degree assault, and a charge of theft of $100 to less than $1500, as the bicycle he was using during the incidents had been recently reported stolen.
Sheriff Steve Hall commended the quick response of the deputies and the role of local businesses in aiding the investigation. “The swift actions of our Deputies, combined with strong community partnerships with Lexington Park businesses, enabled the rapid identification and apprehension of the suspect in a true demonstration of how our community and law enforcement work together to keep St. Mary’s County safe,” Sheriff Hall stated.
The suspect was transported to the Detention and Rehabilitation Center in Leonardtown, where he remains in custody.
Earlier that day, the Sheriff’s Office had issued an alert as deputies responded to reports of the assaults. The suspect was initially described as a Black male wearing a gray sweatshirt or long-sleeved gray shirt, riding a bicycle, and wielding a metal rod or similar object. Residents were advised to avoid the area due to the active police presence, and local businesses were approached for potential surveillance footage to aid in identifying the individual.
In response to the incidents, the St. Mary’s County Public School System activated safety protocols at schools within the affected area.
The Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the assaults and encourages anyone with further information to come forward. Community cooperation remains integral to maintaining safety and ensuring swift justice.
