GLEN BURNIE, Md. — Anne Arundel County police arrested a Stevensville man and an Annapolis woman on Dec. 10 after discovering a loaded handgun passed between them at the scene of a two-vehicle crash near Elvaton Road and Hidden Brook Drive.
Officers from the Eastern District responded around 7 p.m. to the intersection, a residential area in the Watermark community off Route 10 where homes back onto wooded lots and traffic flows steadily during evening hours. During the routine crash investigation, witnesses reported that Raphael Szeman, 28, the driver of one vehicle, handed a firearm to Lilian Hazel, 27, who was present at the scene.
A search uncovered a loaded 9mm Glock 43X in Hazel’s possession, along with a magazine, ammunition and a holster. Both individuals faced weapons violation charges, including unlawful possession of a regulated firearm under Maryland Criminal Law Section 4-203, which prohibits carrying or transporting a handgun without a valid permit. Szeman and Hazel were taken into custody without further incident and processed at the Eastern District station at 204 Pasadena Road in Pasadena.
Under Maryland law, a first-time offense for carrying a loaded handgun without a permit constitutes a misdemeanor with penalties ranging from 30 days to three years in prison and fines between $250 and $2,500. Repeat offenders face felony charges, escalating to a mandatory five-year minimum sentence and up to 15 years incarceration with fines up to $25,000. The state requires a Handgun Qualification License for purchase and a separate wear-and-carry permit for transport, issued only after completing a 16-hour training course, fingerprinting and a demonstrated good-and-substantial reason, such as employment needs or documented threats. Maryland does not recognize out-of-state permits, adding complexity for travelers through the region.
In this case, court records show Szeman and Hazel appeared before a commissioner the following day, with bail set based on flight risk and community safety factors. The handgun, a compact model popular for concealed carry, was logged as evidence pending ballistic testing. Anne Arundel prosecutors prioritize weapons cases at crash scenes, viewing them as indicators of broader risks like impaired driving or unresolved disputes.
The department urges residents to report suspicious activity via the non-emergency line at 410-222-6145 or the Eastern District tip line.
As proceedings advance in Annapolis District Court, this arrest serves as a reminder of Maryland’s zero-tolerance stance on unregulated firearms in public spaces. The full investigation report is available through the county’s online portal.
