CABIN FEVER: Michael Artayet charged with threatening to set fire to house after beef over bread; victim not dead yet but one crazy event after another might do the trick
MECHANICSVILLE, MD. – One way to take care of a disagreement when cooped up in the same coop with one’s friends and family and seeking a way out is to get arrested. Then such a person gets a free room at the Hotel St. Mary’s in the Walled City of Leonardtown. The trick is keeping such a person behind bars or locked up in a mental health facility. Keeping him from driving on Maryland roadways would be a good idea as well as he has a history of drunk driving.
St. Mary’s Sheriff Tim Cameron reports that on April 10, 2020, Dep. Diane Hersh responded to 42264 Ridge Road in Mechanicsville, Md., for the reported threat of arson.
Police say that Michael Andre Artayet, 58, (DOB 03/28/1961) of Mechanicsville, Md., made threats to the victims to burn down the victims’ residence during a disagreement over food. Artayet was arrested and charged with Arson/Threat. A District Court Commissioner ordered Artayet held without bond on April 11, 2020, and a Judge reaffirmed the decision on April 13, 2020.
A peace order for domestic violence was issued on April 10, 2020 with a final hearing on May 5, 2020.
Charges of disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace were placed against Artayet by Maryland State Trooper Jason Mulhearn on May 3, 2019, were dropped in St. Mary’s County District Court on Aug. 2, 2019, by St. Mary’s States Attorney Richard Fritz.
Artayet has a record of assault that goes back to his conviction in District Court in Montgomery County, Md., on June 3, 1994, when he was found guilty, fined $750.00 and given a one-year suspended jail term with probation. Attorney Deane Shure represented Artayet in the criminal case brought by Montgomery County Police.
When Artayet was charged with DWI and reckless driving by St. Mary’s Sheriff’s Department Deputy Andrew Burgess on April 15, 2019, at 5:11 pm as he operated a 2010 Ford in front of the Hollywood Vol. Fire Department on Three Notch Road in Hollywood, Md., he was judged incompetent to stand trial on June 5, 2019, according to court records.
A mental health competency evaluation was ordered by the District Court Judge and on July 31, 2019, a letter regarding the competency of Artayet to stand trial was provided to the court, which then ordered him released from the Maryland Department of Health and committed to the St. Mary’s County Jail. A bail review was ordered and Artayet was sprung from the slammer, when in a plea deal, Artayet pleaded guilty to reckless driving and Fritz dropped the DWI charges on Sept. 4, 2019, and everyone went home safe and sound until next time.
Michael Artayet was arrested for DWI on Aug. 17, 2017, at 2:17 am by Calvert Deputy Moschetto, a star of the LIVE PD television show. Artayet was driving a Ford truck on Md. Rt. 4 at Broomes Island Road when he was stopped by Deputy Moschetto. Artayet was released from the Calvert County Jail on his own personal recognizance. On Dec. 6, 2017, in a plea deal with Calvert States Attorney Laura Martin, Artayet entered a guilty plea to DWI. THE DEAL: Artayet got off with no fine and no time and placed on three years’ probation. Court records show that he violated his probation on June 21, 2019, and at a hearing, the violation was dismissed.