An Ellicott City man was killed July 19 after his motorcycle collided with a sport utility vehicle at the intersection of Interstate 70 and Route 29, according to Howard County police.

Andrew Perry Noel, 19, of Stone Hill Drive, in Ellicott City, was traveling south on Route 29 just after 3 p.m. on a 2007 Yamaha R6 when a 1998 Dodge Durango driven by Robert Neil Mecklenburg, 79, of Upwoods Lane, in Columbia, made a left turn from the northbound lane of Route 29 in front of Noel, police said. Mecklenburg was attempting to turn onto I-70 West when Noel struck him, police said.

Noel was pronounced dead at the scene. Mecklenburg was transported to Howard County General Hospital with minor injuries, police said. He was treated and released July 21, a hospital spokeswoman said.

Keith Bowles, the owner of Elkridge-based carpet cleaning business Clean Choice, said July 21 that he hired Noel in March and valued him as a hard worker. Bowles said he wanted to train Noel to help him manage his business.

"You'd be proud to have him as your son," Bowles said of Noel. "You'd want your son to be this kid."

Noel's family was not immediately available for comment.

An investigation into the collision is continuing, police said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

Hiker finds man, 52, dead in state park

A Montgomery County man was found dead of apparent drowning July 20 at Bloede's Dam, in Patapsco Valley State Park, on the border between Howard and Baltimore counties, according to Maryland Natural Resources Police.

A hiker found the body of Margarito R. Yglecias, 52, of Silver Spring, partially submerged at the base of the dam at about 9:26 a.m. July 20, said Sgt. Ken Turner, a spokesman for the Maryland Natural Resources Police.

The dam is on the Patapsco River in the Orange Grove area of Patapsco Valley State Park.

Maryland Natural Resources police transported the body to the Maryland Office of the chief medical examiner for identification and an autopsy, Turner said.

A preliminary autopsy revealed death by drowning, Turner said.

-- Mike Santa Rita

Police charge man in Wachovia Bank holdup

Howard County police last week arrested and charged a Columbia man with robbing a bank after the man turned himself in at police headquarters.

On July 19, police charged Victor Morrison, 30, of the 7200 block of Rain Flower Way, with robbery, second-degree assault and theft in connection with the previous day's robbery of the Wachovia Bank, in the 8800 block of Centre Park Drive in Columbia, according to police.

At about 11:48 a.m., July 18, a man approached a teller at the bank, implied he had a gun and demanded cash, police said.

The man fled with cash, police said, adding that no one was injured during the robbery or reported seeing a weapon.

Morrison turned himself in at police headquarters in Ellicott City at 6 a.m. the following day, according to police.

An officer saw Morrison near the station and approached him, police said. Morrison told the officer that he was there to turn himself in and was taken into custody.

Morrison was being held without bond at the Howard County Detention Center on July 21, said Wayne Kirwan, a spokesman for Howard County State's Attorney Dario Broccolino.

-- Mike Santa Rita

County library reading club offers kids prizes

For the first time, participants in the Howard County Library's Summer Reading Club can earn two free tickets to an Orioles game.

Because the library did not receive the tickets until the end of last week, Catch the Reading Bug game finishers received a coupon that they could later redeem for two free tickets to an Orioles game on Aug. 8, 19 or 25.

The coupons can now be redeemed at the library.

One child, whose name will be randomly drawn, will represent the library at a pre-game ceremony on the field at Camden Yards at the Aug. 19 game.

The library received 1,200 tickets for the three games and will distribute them while the supply lasts, said Christie Lassen, the library's director of public relations.

To win the tickets, participants in the reading club must complete a game board they receive when they sign up for the program. The board includes 21 tasks such as reading for a certain amount of time and reading before going to bed.

Participants also have a chance to win a bike from Race Pace Bicycles, a birthday party from PlayWiseKids and tickets for dinner and a show at Toby's Dinner Theatre, among other prizes.

For more information, go to the Web site at www.hclibrary.org.

-- Kaitlyn Seith

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