Sunglass Theft Leads to Drug Bust

OCEAN CITY – A Pennsylvania man was arrested on drug charges late Saturday night after a Boardwalk T-shirt store clerk observed him stealing an $8 pair on sunglasses.

On Saturday night, June 23, a clerk at the T-Shirt Factory on the Boardwalk contacted the OCPD about a shoplifter being observed in the store. The police responded and later arrested Randall Snyder, 19, of Nottingham, Pa., for allegedly stealing a pair of $8 sunglasses.

A search of Snyder subsequent to his arrest on the shoplifting charges turned up eight individually-wrapped baggies of marijuana and another small container of marijuana as well as drug paraphernalia. Snyder was then charged with theft under $100, possession of marijuana and paraphernalia and possession of marijuana with intent to distribute.

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Ocean City emergency personnel recently helped a local homeowner evict a raccoon family that was residing in the owner’s soffit. Photo by Janet Fisher

Post Office Carrier Faces Fraud Charges

OCEAN PINES – A Salisbury man who was working as a mail carrier out of the U.S. Post Office in Ocean Pines was arrested on fraud and theft charges this week after a four-month investigation linked him to an identity theft scheme.

Nikhilkumar Patel, 27, of Salisbury, was arrested this week and charged with theft, credit card fraud and obtaining a credit card in the name of another after a four-month joint investigation by the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) and the U.S. Postal Inspectors Office tied him to a string of thefts carried out over several months while working in the capacity of the mail carrier.

The investigation revealed Patel was allegedly stealing credit cards and ATM cards from the mail and making unauthorized purchases and withdraws with them. He is being held at the Worcester County Jail on a $15,000 bond. The scope of Patel’s alleged theft is not entirely known and the investigation is continuing.

Anyone with information regarding the case is encouraged to contact WCBI at 410-352-3476.

River Run Burglarized Again

BERLIN – For the second time in the last few weeks, unknown suspects have burglarized a storage shed at the River Run Golf Course just north of Ocean Pines.

Last Saturday, Maryland State Police troopers from the Berlin Barrack investigated a break-in at a storage shed on River Run Golf Course. The break-in occurred sometime between 10 p.m. on Friday and 6 a.m. on Saturday. Unknown suspects allegedly broke into the storage shed and took numerous items. Last weekend’s break-in was the second in as many weeks at River Run. Anyone with information about the break-ins is urged to call the Maryland State Police at 410-641-3101.

Traffic Stop Leads To Charges

OCEAN CITY – A local woman wanted for violating probation on a previous conviction of driving under the influence of alcohol was charged with the same offense this week.

Kellie Michelle Meehan, 26, of Ocean City, was pulled over by Ocean City police a little before 2 a.m. on Tuesday on Captains Quarters Road reportedly because her headlights were not illuminated. The traffic stop found that Meehan had a bench warrant out for her arrest as a result of her failure to appear on a violation of probation from a similar incident in January 2006.

During the traffic stop, police records indicate Meehan admitted to having “at least five” drinks during the course of the night. When asked by an officer whether she was aware a condition of her probation was not to consume alcohol, Meehan said yes and later admitted she should not have been driving.

After field tests on the scene and a breath test at police headquarters, Meehan, the daughter of Ocean City Mayor Rick Meehan, was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs.

After being charged in Ocean City, Meehan was released into the custody of the Maryland State Police for the service of the warrant, which reportedly stems from her failure to honor the terms of her probation. She made a court appearance before District Court Judge Gerald Purnell on Tuesday and was released on $500 bond.

Noise Violation Tossed Out

OCEAN CITY – A woman plead not guilty to noise violation charges this week while defending herself in court Monday.

Susan Elizabeth Seborg, 21, of Millersville, was charged with a noise violation on May 6 after police responded twice in one night to Soverign Seas, the condominium where she was staying.

According to Officer Frank Soscia, police responded to the residence around 2 a.m. in response to complaints of noise, issuing a warning for unreasonable noise levels.

Police were involved a second time as Soscia arrived at the residence at 5:01 a.m. after hearing loud noises and the slamming of doors.

Soscia testified that the only light was coming from Seborg’s unit and the only people that he observed in the area were at that unit. He then went to the unit and issued a noise violation to Seborg after she identified herself as the person in charge of the residence.

Seborg represented herself in court providing her own testimony. According to Seborg, there were eight girls staying in the condo. Earlier in the evening they had observed people, unaffiliated with themselves, swimming in the Castle In The Sand pool and being rather loud.

Seborg observed a Castle In The Sand employee count the number of people in the pool and assumed they would call the police. Seborf said that the police did not arrive until after the people in the pool had left. At that point, the police came to their condo and questioned her. She said she was cooperative and told the officers what they had seen, accepting the noise warning anyway.

Seborg testified that six of the girls were asleep when the officers arrived the second time and that some guests of hers had just left after helping to clean up. She offered to let the officer look around inside and explained that it could not have been anyone from inside the unit causing the noise disturbance.

After hearing the testimonies, Judge Lloyd Whitehead found that there was reasonable doubt, finding Seborg not guilty of the charges.

Beer Can Launcher Found Guilty

OCEAN CITY – The Pennsylvania beer can launcher came to District Court Monday morning, pleading guilty to charges of disorderly conduct after being arrested in May for throwing a beer can at an officer.

Eric W. Childs, 19, of Quarryville, Pa., was arrested on May 19 after throwing a full can of beer at an officer and then fleeing the scene.

Officer Frank Wrench was at the Riviera Motel investigating a person of interest in a drug case when he noticed that a group of people had gathered on the third floor of the motel. The group was reportedly yelling at the officer and the person he was interviewing. One of the people, identified as Eric Childs, stood on the railing and threw a full, unopened can of Coors Light at the officer and the person being interviewed, missing the officer by only two feet. The can exploded, spraying beer on the officer’s shoes and pants.

The officer proceeded to climb the stairs to the third floor, but by the time he got there Childs had already entered his room. Wrench knocked on the door and an unidentified man answered. Wrench then saw Childs climb out of a small window and jump from the third floor to the back alleyway.

A description of Childs was broadcast and another officer picked him up 10 blocks away and arrested him.

After hearing the events, Judge Lloyd Whitehead addressed Childs. “If you’re going to drink beer in Maryland than you must be 21,” he said “I already know you’re not too bright, you jumped out of a third-story window.”

Childs was found guilty and ordered to pay a $557.50 fine.  

Friendly Fight Results In Guilty Sentence

OCEAN CITY – A Boonsboro, Md. man came before the District Court Monday morning to plead guilty to charges of disorderly conduct that resulted from an Ultimate Fighting-style match between him and his buddy in May.

Gary Breeden, 28, was wrestling with a friend, later identified as Joshua Stonesifer, on May 19 when Officer John McIlroy arrived at the scene. The pair was reportedly wrestling underneath the overhang of the Spinnaker Hotel, drawing a large crowd of people. Upon arrival, McIlroy found Breeden holding Stonesifer in a chokehold. McIlroy attempted to break up the fight but faced resistance from Breeden. Breeden was ultimately subdued and arrested.

Breeden’s attorney noted that it was a friendly wrestling match, that Stonesifer had not been arrested and that Breeden suffers from panic and anxiety disorders.

Judge Lloyd Whitehead questioned why anyone would want to have a friendly wrestling match in public. “I guess it’s different strokes for different folks,” he said.

Breeden was sentenced to probation before judgment with one year of unsupervised probation plus fines of $557.50.

Guilty Plea For Window Breaker

OCEAN CITY – A Savage, Md. man pleaded guilty to the malicious destruction of property under $500 in court Monday after he was arrested in May for breaking the glass front door of a local business.

On May 19, police found Christopher Michael Kevan, 22, lying in the bus lane. They reported that he was highly intoxicated and was bleeding from his right leg. After questioning Kevan, they discovered that he had kicked in the glass front door of the Country Peddler. His leg wounds were treated and he was arrested.

Kevan was ordered to pay restitution fees of $530 to the Country Peddler and was found guilty of malicious destruction of property under $500. He was sentenced to probation before judgment with one year of unsupervised probation and $557.50 in court fees.

“It is not a good idea to lay in the bus lane in this town,” Judge Lloyd Whitehead advised Kevan upon sentencing.

Coast Guard Medevacs Injured Boater

OCEAN CITY – An injured boater was rescued by the Coast Guard last Saturday after his vessel collided with the Route 90 bridge.

On Saturday, June 23, the Maryland Natural Resources Police charged Amanpreet Singh Johal, 25, of Potomac and Anil Kumar Shukla, 25, of Darnestown with reckless operation of a motor vessel after their vessel struck the Route 90 Bridge in the Assawoman Bay near Ocean City.

As Johal, Shukla and Eric Liu, 25, of Silver Spring, were traveling south from Assawoman Bay in a 21-foot open-style boat, they struck a concrete bridge support, veered out of control and struck a second concrete bridge support before coming to rest on the south side of the bridge. The three men had rented the vessel earlier that afternoon.

Shukla suffered severe lacerations to his knee and was taken off the boat by the Coast Guard. He was transferred to Emergency Services personnel on shore before being airlifted to Peninsula Regional Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. Johal refused medical treatment at the scene and Liu was not injured. Ocean City Paramedics, Maryland State Police and the U.S. Coast Guard assisted NRP with the incident.

Assault Arrest

OCEAN CITY – A Glen Burnie man was arrested last weekend on assault charges after punching a nightclub doorman in the face right in front of an Ocean City police officer.

Around 1:35 a.m. on Saturday, OCPD officers responded to the Paddock nightclub on 17th Street for a reported fight. When the officers arrived, they saw a male suspect, later identified as Brendon L. Rairaigh, 27, of Glen Burnie, lying on the ground. One of the bar’s security staff, identified as Shawn DeMonroe, went to help Rairaigh stand up and when he did, Rairaigh punched DeMonroe in the face right in front of the police officers.

The OCPD officer grabbed Rairaigh from behind and took him to the ground. Once on the ground, Rairaigh continued to struggle and the officer had to apply several knee strikes to subdue him. When he was finally subdued, Rairaigh was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and resisting arrest.

Bad Brake Light Nails Car Thief

OCEAN CITY – A Pasadena man was arrested on motor vehicle theft and other drug and traffic charges last weekend after resort police alerted on a malfunctioning brake light on the car.

About 8:30 p.m. last Saturday, an OCPD officer noticed a red passenger vehicle traveling south on Coastal Highway at 45th Street with its rear brake light not functioning. The officer followed the vehicle for a few blocks until it turned onto to 41st Street and again the brake light did not work.

The officer initiated a routine traffic stop, and as he approached the vehicle, the officer noticed a number “1” on the tag number had been altered to look like a number “7.” The officer made contact with the driver, later identified as Dustin William Charles Booze, 18, of Pasadena, Md. Booze told the officer he did not have his driver’s license on him, but a name and date of birth check with OCPD communications revealed Booze had a learner’s permit that was suspended.

The officer then asked Booze and his passenger, later identified as Brandon Christopher Rose, to exit the vehicle. Booze was arrested for driving without a license. A search of the vehicle incident to the arrest revealed a “blunt,” or a hollowed out cigar containing marijuana, on the center console.

When the officer questioned Booze and Rose about the marijuana, Rose told him, “that’s my blunt in the ashtray,” and he was arrested for possession of marijuana. Meanwhile, another OCPD officer arrived on the scene to assist and ran a registration search on the vehicle. The search revealed the vehicle had been stolen in Anne Arundel County.

At that point, the two suspects, Booze and Rose, were separated for questioning. Throughout the investigation, it was clear both had knowledge the vehicle was stolen or possibly stolen, according to police reports. Booze was charged with motor vehicle theft and theft over $500 as well as several traffic-related offenses. Rose was charged with possession of marijuana.

Man Faces Slew Of Charges

OCEAN CITY – A Newark, Del. man was arrested last Saturday for driving while under influence and a slew of other charges after colliding with an OCPD transport vehicle.

Around 6:30 p.m. last Saturday, a call went out to OCPD officers to be on the lookout for a Mitsubishi Eclipse that had just collided with a marked OCPD transport van that had its emergency equipment activated. OCPD Pfc. Mark Wolinsky heard the call and noticed the suspected Mitsubishi in the area of 81st Street and pulled it over.

OCPD Sgt. Scott Harner responded to assist, and when he questioned the driver, later identified as John Joseph Hargan, 29, about the status of his driver’s license, Hargan told him it was suspended in Delaware because of child support issues. Hargan, who appeared intoxicated, according to police reports, was asked to step out of the vehicle. He was then asked to perform field sobriety tests, which he failed.

In the meantime, a call from OCPD communications revealed Hargan was wanted on an active warrant in Maryland and he was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence and the outstanding warrant.

Hargan asked the arresting officers what was happening and he was told he was being arrested for an outstanding warrant, and that he had been driving on a suspended license and had hit a marked police vehicle with its emergency equipment activated among other things. Hargan replied, “I did not hit anyone,” and “what police tried to stop me?”

Hargan was charged with a myriad of offenses from driving under the influence, driving on a suspended out-of-state license, leaving the scene of an accident and several other traffic offenses, not to mention the outstanding warrant in Maryland. When the officers questioned the female passenger about why they didn’t stop after so many offenses, she told police Hargan said, “We’re drunk. We can’t stop.”