An abandoned sign at a pocket park on Capitol Hill, in the 800 block of D Street SE. Image by Mike Licht licensed under Creative Commons.
A bill introduced by Montgomery County Councilmember Craig Rice on April 20 would require a permit to solicit money or donations from vehicles on high-speed roadways. A public hearing is scheduled for May 10.
The legislation opens with a section on pedestrian safety, saying the county’s Vision Zero action plan “requires greater safety measures related to the dangerous activity of pedestrians soliciting and collecting items from the occupants of vehicles in roadways.”
But critics in Montgomery County are calling Rice’s legislation an “anti-panhandling initiative,” saying it isn’t about traffic safety but rather about “criminalizing unhoused communities.” Bethesda Beat reported Wednesday that the bill has gotten mixed reviews from advocates for people experiencing homelessness and low-income individuals.
County Police Officer Injured During Pursuit of Three Suspects
A Montgomery County Police officer is being treated for a non-life-threatening leg injury at a local hospital, a police spokesperson said.
The officer was injured while pursuing suspects in the area of Old Columbia Pike and Fairland Road in the Fairland section of Silver Spring shortly after 10 p.m. Wednesday.
According to police, the officer was injured during a pursuit of suspects during a traffic stop. Three suspects fled on foot, police said. Officers pursued the suspects, and then one officer became pinned between two vehicles. The three people are in custody, police said in a tweet.