Men Use Knives and Guns to Keep Their Women Straight

GREAT MILLS ---  St. Mary’s Sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Cindy Allen reports that on February 17, 2008 the victim, a 54 year old female from Great Mills, Maryland, responded to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office Lexington Park District Station to report a domestic assault. 

Police say the victim was driving the accused, Dwight Alvin Smith of Great Mills, Maryland in a vehicle. 

Smith pulled a knife from under his shirt and held it in an aggressive manner within inches from the victim’s legs.  The victim continued to drive and eventually convinced Smith to give her the knife.  Smith complied. 

Once reaching their destination, Smith exited the vehicle and the victim fled in the vehicle to the Sheriff’s Office District Station where she contacted Cpl. Cara Grumbles and reported the assault.  Cpl. Grumbles along with other deputies responded to Smith’s residence.  Smith was subsequently located and arrested by Cpl. Grumbles and incarcerated in the St. Mary’s County Detention Center pending a bond review before a District Court Commissioner.

In a second incident, n February 18, 2008 sheriff’s deputies along with the Maryland State Police responded to a residence in Mechanicsville, Maryland for a report of a domestic assault.

Police say the victim, a 51 year old female from Mechanicsville, fled the residence after allegedly being assaulted by Douglas Calvin Benfield, 56 of Mechanicsville, Maryland.  The victim reported the suspect grabbed her by the arm and struck her in the abdomen with a rifle. 

Benfield was subsequently located and arrested by Deputy Yates and incarcerated in the St. Mary’s County Detention Center pending a bond review before a District Court Commissioner.