Teens Arrested For Robberies

OCEAN CITY – After responding to two reports of robberies
where a suspect threatened victims with a knife at various locations in Ocean
City last Sunday, Ocean City police officers were soon able to track down the
team of robbers with the help of a K-9 unit.

OCPD officers were reportedly dispatched to the Boardwalk
regarding an attempted robbery that had just taken place. The victims were a
45-year-old woman and her two companions, a 13 and 14-year-old girl, who said
they were approached by a young man who first asked for a cigarette and then
brandished a knife demanding money.

The victim said she didn’t have any money and after a
quick verbal exchange, the young man fled the scene.

Ten minutes later, officers were dispatched to the area of
30th Street and Baltimore Avenue for a report of another robbery. This time the
victims were a 16- and 14-year-old boy who told police they were approached by
two young men in a parking lot.

According to the police reports, one of the robbers had a
knife and forced them to hand over a gold chain, cell phone, iPod speakers and
a hat. The victims also told police they had met a girl earlier who told them
to meet her at the location they were robbed.

A description of the suspects was broadcasted and Officer
Carl Perry soon located the suspects on 33rd Street and the beach with the help
of K-9 partner Jester who ran a trail from the recent robbery. Both matched the
description given by the victims and one was even wearing the hat that was just
stolen.

After being identified by both sets of victims, officers
arrested Matthew Balz-Ogle, 19, of Finksburg, and a pair of 16-year-old
juveniles. Both juveniles were charged as adults and all three were charged
with armed robbery, attempted robbery, first- and second-degree assault and
weapons charges.

After interviewing the suspects, officers were reportedly
able to determine Shipley was the girl who set up the boys in the second
robbery. They also learned of a third robbery that took place near 17th
Street and the Boardwalk where they claim to have assaulted a man and stole his
hat as well. However, that burglary had not been reported as of Monday.
 

Man Assaults
Girlfriend For a Second Time

OCEAN CITY – Donald E. Glass, 38, of Ocean City, was
arrested Sunday after police believed he assaulted his girlfriend during his
time on work release from being imprisoned on violating his probation on a
previous assault charge against the same woman.

It was almost 7:30 p.m. on Sunday when OCPD Officer
Natalie Smolko was dispatched to the Captain’s Quarters in regards to a
domestic violence 911 call. Upon arrival, Smolko spoke with the victim who said
her boyfriend, later identified as Glass, had choked her, banged her head on
multiple surfaces throughout the house and kicked her in the stomach.

According to police records, Smolko observed red marks on
the victim’s face and stomach, as well as a bump on her head. She also noticed
how she favored her right side, an area she claimed Glass had kicked her as
well.

The victim told the officer that Glass had barricaded her
in her residence and would not let her go, even choked her at one point where
she said she felt like she was going to lose consciousness.

She went on to say that Glass then dragged her up the
steps, banging her head and kicking her along the way. According to police
records, the victim said when Glass went downstairs for a drink she sprinted
for the door and began screaming for help to a man walking along the street and
begged him to use his phone to call police.

It was then that Glass left and took the victim’s cell
phone and two portable house phones alone with him.

While officers were speaking with the victim, Glass began
paging the base unit of one of the house phones with the cordless phone he had
taken. OCPD Officer Shawn Beach soon found Glass in the backyard and placed him
under arrest for second-degree assault.

The victim said she feared for her life even while Glass
was in prison and said she was, “Drowning in fear,” according to police
records. EMS later evaluated the victim who refused to be taken to the hospital
following the assault.
 

Random K-9 Scans Turn
Up Narcotics

OCEAN CITY – On Saturday night, OCPD officers conducting
random scans of vehicles parked in the Worcester Street parking lot for narcotics
proved successful after individuals returned to a vehicle that a K-9 unit had
alerted to earlier in the evening, leading to the arrest of a Delmar, Del. boy.

It was approximately 10:48 p.m. when a group of OCPD
officers and their K-9 companions were conducting random scans of vehicles in
the parking lot near the H2O nightclub.

According to police records, at one point, Officer Earl
Campbell and his K-9 partner Charlie conducted a scan on a white Cadillac where
Charlie positively alerted to the presence of illegal narcotics. Campbell also
noticed a bottle of vodka on the floor in the rear of the car.

Officers then left the area and continued to scan other
vehicles when Melena noticed four individuals approach the Cadillac, three of
which he recalled from earlier when he warned them about crossing the
traffic-filled street in a spot without a crosswalk.

All four individuals got into the car and officers soon
approached the driver who was later identified as Tennyson Winfred Evans, 18,
of Delmar, Del. Melena told Evans why he had raised suspicion and asked if he
did in fact have any narcotics in the car. Evans replied he did not.

A search was then conducted, according to police records,
and located inside the center console of the car were two bags of marijuana.
One bag had seven smaller, individual bags of the substance and the other had
five.

Melena then approached Evans with the bags and he
immediately responded that it was not his and began to ask if anyone he was
with had placed it in his car. After no one admitted to owning the marijuana,
officers placed Evans under arrest for possession of marijuana and possession
of marijuana with intent to distribute.
 

Fines For Del. Man

OCEAN CITY – An Ocean View, Del., man found himself in
District Court Monday morning to face charges stemming from an evening back in
October when officers found the vehicle he was driving had run into the side of
a Wawa. What was worse was the fact he had left a bag of marijuana in plain
view as well.

It was back on Oct. 21, around 3:30 a.m., when OCPD Pfc.
Christine Plant responded to the Wawa on 120th Street for a vehicle that struck
the north side of the building.  When
the officer arrived, she noticed a white Ford Explorer with the front wheels on
the sidewalk and the front bumper against the building.

According to police records, the wall was dented on impact
along with the vehicle, but nobody in the area claimed ownership. Plant then
took a closer look and noticed what appeared to be a metal smoking device and a
baggie of marijuana sitting on the center console in plain view. Attempting to
understand the situation, Plant entered the vehicle and retrieved the items.
She also spotted a picture of a white male, later identified as Harold Edward
Sheerer, 25, and a small child on the front dashboard. When the officer went
back inside the convenience store, she recognized Sheerer who was buying an
iced tea and cigarettes at the counter, according to police records.

Plant asked him about the collision, but he told the
officer that he didn’t know what she was talking about. Sheerer then walked
outside with the officer, saw the vehicle and told her a transmission problem
likely caused the accident. However, Sheerer was then placed under arrest for
possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia. As officers escorted him to a
patrol car, he became uncooperative and was placed in a violent-person
restraining device when he began kicking the vehicle’s door.

At court Monday, Sheerer pleaded guilty to possession of
marijuana and driving under the influence. Although Sheerer said he hadn’t been
convicted of anything before, Judge Daniel R. Mumford sifted through his
records and found a previous marijuana charge.

“The price of dope has gone up these days,” he said to
Sheerer and slapped him with a $500 fine. He was also fined $500 more for
driving under the influence.
 

Fugitive Found By OCPD
Sentenced

OCEAN CITY – A 50-year-old Westminister, Md., man who was
wanted in Carroll County on a bench warrant and tried to hide from police after
his location had been given to officers, stood before Judge Daniel R. Mumford
Monday morning to plead guilty to a trespassing charge.

It was around 9:45 p.m. on March 21 when OCPD Officer Earl
Campbell responded to a Sunset Drive residence to assist Officer Lesa Breneman in
locating a fugitive of Carroll County by the name of Douglas Paul Grimes.

According to police records, Breneman had received
information that Grimes was hiding in the back of the Subway restaurant.
According to the manager, no one had permission to be on the property and
Breneman was sure Grimes was still there since it was his girlfriend who called
police and told them Grimes was hiding there but wanted to turn himself in at a
different location.

Officers gave orders for Grimes to come out but received no
response, even after Campbell ordered his K-9 partner Charlie to let his
presence be known by barking. Since Grimes wasn’t coming to them, officers went
to him, soon finding him hiding behind a heating and air-conditioning
ventilation system.

According to police records, Charlie tried to get to
Grimes but was unable to, however the thought of having a K-9 unit after him
made him think twice about staying hid and soon showed his hands to police.
Officers dragged him from his hiding place and tried to place Grimes under
arrest but he resisted.

Further use of force, pepper spray and threats of
deploying K-9 Charlie made Grimes eventually comply, allowing officers to
restrain him. A total of nine officers were used to handle the incident and the
manager of the Subway was unsure how Grimes had gained entry since no signs of
forced entry were found.

Mumford sentenced Grimes to 33 days in jail for time he
had already served since being arrested the night of the incident.
 

Bouncer Charged
With Assault

OCEAN CITY – A lengthy trial at District Court Monday for
a pair of individuals with assault charges finally ended with only one being
found guilty.

It was back on Dec. 24 when Dynell Maurice Toppin, 30, of
Longneck, Del., was arrested for failing to obey a lawful order when police
responded to a fight in progress at the Seacrets parking lot on 51st Street.
According to police records, at around 2:30 a.m., OCPD Pfc. Doug Smith
responded to the parking lot when he noticed Toppin struggling with several bar
security guards. As the officer approached the situation, he saw an
establishment employee, later identified as Terry Lee Wright, 26, of Berlin,
punch Toppin who later fell to his hands and knees.

Smith then ordered Toppin to remain on the ground to
prevent any more altercations, but he attempted to stand several times before
being placed under arrest for failing to obey lawful orders. Wright was also
arrested for second-degree assault and later filed charges against Toppin
saying he had assaulted him.

In District Court Monday, the two plead not guilty to
assault and testified with slightly different stories. However, it was the
testimony of Smith who helped Judge Daniel R. Mumford make the final call.

Since Smith had seen Wright punching Toppin when he
approached, something Seacrets employees are not allowed to do when restraining
uncooperative patrons, he found him guilty of second-degree assault and fined
him $300 and placed him on one year of unsupervised probation.

As for Toppin, the only person to testify that he had
thrown any punches was Wright and since he had no other witnesses to the
attack, Mumford had no choice but to find Toppin not guilty. However, Toppin
did not get off too easy, marijuana found on his person after his arrest led to
a fine on his part as well.

“It’s Jesus’ birthday and you’re not supposed to be
smoking dope,” was all Mumford had to say to Toppin after fining him for the
marijuana.
 

Month-Long Probe Leads
To Arrest

OCEAN CITY – The Ocean City Police Department announced
this week that OCPD detectives concluded a month long investigation early last
Saturday morning when officers arrested a man who had been selling marijuana.

A narcotics detective had previously purchased marijuana
from an individual by the name of William Moore, 24, of Ocean City, on two
separate occasions. It was on a planned third meeting to purchase more
marijuana that Moore was placed under arrest.

Following the arrest, officers seized over nine ounces of
marijuana and $339 in cash from the suspect’s truck. Moore was charged with
three counts of possession of marijuana, one count of possession with intent to
distribute marijuana and two counts of distribution of marijuana.

 

High Speed Bike
Chase In WOC

BERLIN – A Laurel, Md. man being pulled over for a simple
problem with his tag registration for his motorcycle led Maryland State Police
on a high-speed chase this week that started on Route 50 near Route 589 and
ended in a West Ocean City neighborhood.

Maryland State Police attempted to pull over James Miller,
Jr. of Laurel, Md. on eastbound Route 50 near Route 589 for routine infractions
when the motorcycle rider panicked and led police on a high-speed chase that
reached speeds of over 100 mph. Miller later told police he tried to flee
because he was operating a motorcycle without the proper class driver’s
license.

The chase headed east on Route 50 into the West Ocean City
area before Miller was eventually stopped on Rum Point Rd. Miller was arrested
and charged with reckless, aggressive and negligent driving as well as fleeing
and eluding and other traffic offenses. He was later released on a $1,000 bond.
 

More Trespassing in
Berlin

BERLIN – In another example of what has been a common
crime in recent weeks, a Berlin woman was arrested for trespassing at an
apartment complex last week after refusing to provide police with any personal
information.

Bonnie Rose Cropper, 28, of Berlin, was charged with
trespassing last Friday around 2:30 a.m. after an officer found her on the
property of Homes of Berlin I housing complex on the east side of town. Cropper
was on the property illegally and refused to cooperate with police when they
attempted to identify her.

The case against Cropper is the sixth similar trespassing
arrest at Berlin apartment complexes in the last two weeks.
 

Sprinklers Save
Pocomoke Hotel

POCOMOKE – Potential disaster at a Holiday Inn Express in
Pocomoke was averted this week when a sprinkler system quickly brought under
control a fire that originated in the facility’s laundry room.

A dryer in the laundry room of the Holiday Inn caught
fire, spreading thick smoke through the hotel, which was heavily occupied at
the time, First arriving units from the Pocomoke Volunteer Fire Company
reported a dryer on fire and heavy smoke emanating from the structure. All of
the occupants escaped without injury.

The
fire was contained extended from the dryer to the laundry room before an
automated sprinkler system activated and contained the blaze in the area of
origin. The blaze was contained and quickly extinguished and the occupants were
allowed to return to their rooms about an hour after the first response. No
injuries were reported. The Worcester County Fire Marshal’s Office has
investigated the fire and has listed its cause as accidental.