LA PLATA, Md. — The owner of a Maryland car wash was charged criminally for not closing his business and violating Gov. Hogan's executive order Friday, Maryland State Police said.
Officers were notified about the violation after a citizen called in a complaint, saying that the Sparkle Car Wash located at 3380 Leonardtown Road was still up and running and having customers come through. According to police, troopers had already visited Sparkle Car Wash days before for the same complaint.
The La Plata Barrack of MSP said that troopers notified the owner of the carwash, Muhammad Usman Arsad, that he was violating Hogan's executive order and told him to immediately close the business after the first complaint.
After receiving the second complaint on Friday, the troopers drove by Sparkle Car Wash again, noticing it was still up and running and that multiple people were using it.
They told Arsad again that he had to immediately close the car wash, charging him criminally for willfully violating Governor Hogan's executive order -- a misdemeanor offense that carries a maximum fine of $5,000.00 and up to 1 year in jail.
All car washes in Maryland are considered non-essential businesses under the order, and must remain closed until the order is lifted. The order includes automatic drive-through car washes, as well as touchless and manual self-service washes.