Maryland Police Make Arrest Over Mysterious Late-Night Blasts

Associated Press

PIKESVILLE, Md. — Police say they've made an arrest in connection with a middle-of-the-night mystery captured on videotape.

Deafening blasts accompanied by blinding split-second flashes of light have been rattling residents of one neighborhood of this Baltimore suburb for months.

Baltimore County Police spokesman Cpl. Mike Hill confirmed the arrest, but could provide no other details Tuesday.

Elaine O'Mansky says she has heard the noise 25 times since September, always between midnight and dawn. She says the accompanying flash is bright enough to light up her bedroom.

Barbara Friedman says the first time she heard the blast she thought someone was shooting at her.

The police department set up cameras and recorded the phenomena last week.

The recorded flash lit up an area the size of a football field. Based on shadows, police believe the light source was in the air about 30 feet above the ground near the Beth Tfiloh Community School.

Utility workers found no electrical problems or gas leaks that could explain the noise and flashes.