Real ID Denial Drives Man To Threaten Blowing Up MVA: Police

GLEN BURNIE, MD — When a Baltimore man learned he didn't bring the required documents with him to the Glen Burnie office of the Motor Vehicle Administration, he became irate and threatened to blow up the building, authorities said. David Michael Metzler, 59, of Riverside Drive, on Friday was charged with making a threat of mass violence, threatening arson, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace, according to the Capital Gazette.

Maryland drivers' licenses and state IDs must be Real ID compliant by this fall as a change to bring state-issued identification in line with federal security standards takes full effect. Starting Oct. 1, drivers' licenses and state IDs that are not Real ID compliant will not be accepted as identification by federal authorities.

Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration says you'll need the new ID, with a star in a circle in the upper right corner, if you plan to fly or enter any military base or federal building as of Oct. 1, 2020. Real IDs will be needed to board a domestic commercial flight as of Oct. 1, unless you have a valid passport or military ID card. Already some military bases may no longer accept non-Real ID compliant credentials which display "Federal Limits Apply."

Metzler became upset when the MVA worker employee told him he didn’t bring the necessary documents to get a Maryland Real ID driver’s license, according to the charging documents. Officials report Metzler repeatedly said: “Well what if I blow up this place? What if I just blow this (expletive) place up then?” the newspaper reported.

The Real ID Act was passed after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to establish minimum security standards for state-issued driver's licenses and identification cards.

Real ID compliant driver's licenses and identification cards from the state of Maryland have a small star in the upper right corner to indicate the credentials are acceptable for these federal purposes. Some military bases have already stopped accepting non-Real ID compliant credentials which display "Federal Limits Apply."

Obtaining a Real ID requires the following:

• One proof of identity and legal presence
• Two proofs of state residency
• A Social Security card
• Current driver's license, if you are applying to exchange one issued by the District or a state.
• If proof documents contain different names (for example, if the last name on a birth certificate is different than the name on a payroll check stub), it's necessary to supply documents showing proof of the name change, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or a court order.

To reduce wait times for Real ID, the Maryland Department of Transportation MVA extended service hours at nine branch offices. Varied Saturday hours are open in Beltsville, Bel Air, Columbia, Glen Burnie, Frederick, Parkville, Walnut Hill, Westminster, and Loveville. Under the plan, the Maryland MVA will make more than 3,000 appointments available statewide each day.

Related: Real ID Maryland: How To Avoid The Lines

Maryland residents are encouraged to make an appointment on the MDOT MVA website and after collecting documentation, visit a local branch to become REAL ID compliant.

Find a list of full-service MVA offices, and their hours, here.

Visit Maryland's Real ID Lookup Tool to determine your Real ID status.

Even if you have the newly-designed driver's license or identification card, you may need to submit additional documents in order to be Real ID compliant – visit Maryland's Real ID Lookup Tool to determine your Real ID status.