GAITHERSBURG, Md. — Editor's Note: The video attached to the article is from a story WUSA9 did back in February of 2021.
A man wanted for armed robbery and armed carjacking allegedly tried to steal a car with a woman and child still inside, but was quickly stopped by officers.
Montgomery County Police (MCPD) arrested and charged 30-year-old Kevin Smith on attempted carjacking charges. He’s also facing multiple firearm-related charges and a separate armed carjacking charge involving of a delivery driver, as well as armed robbery of a Popeyes.
On Nov. 10, a delivery driver was walking back to his car when he was approached by two men in the unit block of White Oak Vista Court. The two men were later identified as Smith, of no fixed address, and Keyren Chester Ross of Washington, D.C.
Police claim one of the men pulled out a handgun, pointed it at the delivery driver, and demanded his property and car. The driver complied and the two men drove away in a grey 2019 Honda Accord.
On the same day, MCPD officers responded to an armed robbery at Popeyes in Silver Spring. An investigation revealed the same two men pulled out a black gun and demanded money from the Popeyes cashier. Ross and Smith allegedly pointed the gun at the employee and demanded the store's safe be opened. The employees opened the safe and the men stole an undisclosed amount of cash, before driving away in the same Honda Accord.
The Honda Accord was later found in D.C. Ross was placed into custody following a brief police chase, and charged with armed robbery and armed carjacking-related charges.
On Nov. 27, an arrest warrant was obtained for Smith. Three days later, on Nov. 30, officers found Smith in a car and tried to arrest him in the area of Castle Blvd. and Briggs Chaney Road.
After seeing the officers, Smith got out of the vehicle and ran towards the Sport Chevrolet dealership in the 3000 block of Automobile Blvd, where he tried to hide a black fanny pack under a vehicle, according to police. Officers chased Smith, who tried to escape in a car with a woman and child inside, but officers quickly stopped and arrested him.
Officers went back to the car in the parking lot of the Sport Chevrolet dealership and found a loaded 9mm Glock handgun inside a fanny pack under the car.
Smith was taken to the Montgomery County Detention Center, where he’s being held without bond.
