3 teens held in 2 carjackings

Three teenagers were arrested yesterday in connection with two carjackings in Brooklyn Park over three days, including one in which a pregnant woman was punched in the stomach, Anne Arundel County police said.

Rashad Tyree Knight, 18, of the 6400 block of Freedom Drive in Glen Burnie, Rashard Anton Watkins, 17, of the 700 block of Mount Holly St. in Baltimore and Travis Jawan Johnson, 17, of the 500 of Hazlett Ave. in Baltimore, approached two men, the pregnant woman and a small child about 4 a.m. yesterday as they exited their vehicle near the 300 block of Arden Road, police said. One of the youths punched the woman and another held a silver handgun to one of the male victims' heads and demanded the car keys. The suspects fled after the woman said the car was equipped with a car security system.

Sgt. John Gilmer, a county police spokesman, said officers canvassed the neighborhood and found a trio matching the suspects' descriptions in a blue 2007 Toyota that had been carjacked about 2:30 a.m. Sunday.

In that case, a woman on the 300 block of Old Riverside Road - one block from Arden Road - reported being approached by two young men, one carrying a handgun. The men demanded her purse, but upon finding she did not have one, removed her keys and cell phone from her pocket and fled in her vehicle.

Police arrested the three yesterday morning after a foot chase. The handgun police believe was used in the carjackings was also retrieved at the scene. Knight, Watkins and Johnson were charged with attempted robbery, first- and second-degree assault, armed carjacking and handgun violations in yesterday's incident.