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Natural Resources Police Investigate Drowning of Silver Spring Man

Natural Resources Police LogoThe Maryland Natural Resources Police are investigating the drowning of a Silver Spring man who was swimming at Swallow Falls State Park Sunday afternoon.

The body of Giancarlo J. Garcia, 24, was recovered this morning by members of the police dive team. The victim is being taken to the Medical Examiner’s office in Baltimore City for an autopsy.

Garcia was swimming with friends in the lower falls area, when he apparently got trapped by the strong current beneath the falls and could not get back to the shore. Attempts to rescue him were unsuccessful.

Officers and first responders from the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department, Garrett County Emergency Services and Southern Garrett Rescue Squad along with divers from Deer Park Volunteer Fire Department and Deep Creek Lake Volunteer Fire Department attempted to recover the body Sunday evening. Efforts were suspended at dark. Divers returned at 8 a.m. and quickly recovered the body.

Garcia’s death is the second at the lower falls in a little over a year. In July 2016, an Annapolis law clerk drowned while swimming.


Investigators are continuing to gather evidence in the death of a Carroll County man, whose body was found Saturday morning floating near a dock at Nabbs Creek Marina in Anne Arundel County.

The body of Dennis Wayne DiMarzo, 56, of Westminster, was taken to the Medical Examiner’s office in Baltimore City for an autopsy and toxicology tests.

DiMarzo kept his 32-foot pleasure boat docked at the marina.


An Allegany County man was arrested Sunday night and charged with impaired driving.

Jacob Patrick Mullan, 25, of Lavale, was stopped shortly around 2 a.m. after an officer saw him cross over both the double-yellow center line and the white shoulder line multiple times on northbound North Glendale Road in Swanton.

Mullan had difficulty completing the field sobriety tests and was taken to the Maryland State Police barrack in McHenry, where he registered a 0.11 blood alcohol content on a Breathalyzer test, well above the legal limit of 0.08.

His driver’s license was confiscated and he was issued three citations for driving under the influence and driving while impaired and one citation for failing to stay in his lane. Mullan must appear in Garrett County District Court; a trial date has not been set.


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