Arrest Made In Fleeing Case

Arrest Made In Fleeing Case
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BERLIN – A Berlin man was arrested last week five days after abandoning his vehicle and fleeing from police officers on foot.

On Jan. 23, Maryland State Police troopers attempted to stop a 2006 Kia SUV for a routine traffic violation. However, the vehicle failed to stop and continued on to Maple Ave. in Berlin where the driver, later identified as Dvaughn Jeronte Miller, of Berlin, abandoned the vehicle and fled on foot.

A search of the vehicle turned up an undisclosed amount of cocaine and marijuana. An arrest warrant was sworn out on Miller and he was taken into custody five days later on Jan. 28 and charged with possession of cocaine and marijuana, fleeing and eluding in a vehicle and o foot, and driving without a license. He was taken before a court commissioner and held in the Worcester County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

Pellet Shooter Sought

OCEAN PINES – Maryland State Police this week are looking for a suspect or suspects involved in shooting a pellet gun at vehicles passing by on Route 589 least Thursday.

Around 8:30 p.m. last Thursday, MSP troopers responded to the area of Route 589 and the north gate of Ocean Pines in reference to a report of an unknown suspect shooting a pellet gun at passing vehicles. The victims told police they were passing the wooded area between the north gate and Beauchamp Rd. when they hear something hit their vehicles.

Two vehicles had minor damage. The investigation continued this week. Anyone with information on the case is urged to call the MSP Berlin barrack at 410-641-3101.

Wrong Way Driver Causes Accident

BERLIN – An elderly woman driving the wrong way on Route 50 last Wednesday struck one vehicle and nearly collided with a Greyhound bus before being finally pulled over near Salisbury.

Around 3:30 p.m. last Wednesday, Maryland State Police and Worcester County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of Route 50 and Hall Rd. in reference to a motor vehicle accident. The officers were advised a red Ford Escort was traveling westbound on the eastbound side of Route 50 and nearly struck a Greyhound passenger bus while traveling from Route 90 onto Route 50 via the eastbound access ramp.

The Ford Escort continued west on the eastbound side of Route 50, striking a Pontiac Grand Am causing minor damage to the driver’s side of each vehicle. The Ford Escort then left the scene of the collision and accessed the correct side of Route 50.

The driver, later identified as Shirley M. Quillin, 80, of Ocean City, continued westbound on Route 50 until being stopped finally at Mt. Hermon Rd. and Crestwood Drive in Salisbury. According to police reports, Quillin was lost and in a state of confusion during the incident although it is uncertain if she suffers from any medical conditions. No injuries were reported due to the collision. Quillin was charged with several traffic violations.

Wanted Man Nabbed After Fleeing Police

BERLIN – A local man wanted on several outstanding warrants was arrested on drug charges last week after running from police during an attempted traffic stop.

Around 10 p.m. last Wednesday, Maryland State Police attempted to stop a 2002 Chevy Blazer for a speed violation. The vehicle failed to stop and attempted to flee on Trappe Rd. and continued to Germantown Rd. where the occupants fled on foot.

The driver, Dewayne Alexander Ballard, 32, of Berlin, was apprehended by Berlin Police a short distance from where the vehicle was abandoned. A search of the vehicle revealed cocaine, marijuana and paraphernalia. Through the investigation, it was discovered Ballard had four outstanding Circuit Court warrants from Worcester and Wicomico counties. Ballard was held on a $25,000 bond for the CDS and traffic charges. He was then turned over to the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office for service of the warrants.

Local Business Burglarized

BERLIN – Maryland State Police this week are looking for the suspect or suspects who burglarized a local pile-driving business sometime last month.

On Jan. 25, MSP troopers responded to the Omar Pile-Driving business on Libertytown Rd. in Berlin for a reported burglary. The business owner advised police over the course of three weeks in January, several items including three chainsaws, a battery charger and a shop heater had been stolen from his shop area. Anyone with information on the thefts is urged to call the MSP Berlin Barrack at 410-641-3101.

Dozens Nabbed In Warrant Round-Up

BERLIN – An aggressive warrant initiative carried out by three state troopers from the Maryland State Police Berlin barrack last month exceeded expectations with dozens of known wanted criminals from the local area rounded up all over the state and beyond.

On Jan. 11, the MSP Berlin barrack implemented an aggressive warrant initiative to support the department’s mission as it relates to criminal enforcement and the apprehension of criminal offenders. Led by Tfc. Craig Suttka, the three-member team that also included Tfc. David Grinnan and Tfc. James Brant, worked closely with local and out-of-state allied agencies as well as a few private entities to identify the location of suspects throughout the state and various parts of the country.

Some of the suspects were apprehended in states as far away as Florida and detainers have been filed for suspects in states as far away as Nevada. All in all, 30 suspects were apprehended, five of whom are felons; 39 total warrants were served, six of which were felony warrants; four detainers were filed and one CDS arrest was made. Due to the overwhelming success, the MSP Berlin barrack is conducting the warrant initiative again during the month of February.

Drug Deal Gone Awry

OCEAN CITY – An assault case was presented in District Court this week with the defendant pleading not guilty and claiming that the victim was attempting to buy marijuana from him.

Michael Lee Glass, 39, of Laurel, Md., pleaded not guilty to the charges of second-degree assault Monday morning, but agreed to the state’s statement of facts.

According to police reports, on Aug. 5, 2005, Ocean City Police officers were on routine bicycle patrol in the area of 15th Street when they came upon a fight that had just broken up. After observing the lacerations on the victim’s face and talking to witnesses, Glass was identified as the suspect. Glass was eventually arrested and charged with second-degree assault.

Glass’s attorney conceded that the police report was correct but claimed that the victim and the two additional witnesses had attempted to purchase marijuana from Glass. According to Glass, when he told the three men that he didn’t have any marijuana they responded with a racial slur which spurred Glass to punch the victim in the face. Glass’s attorney pointed out that the three witnesses admitted to police that they were attempting to purchase marijuana from Glass. Glass was found guilty and was fined $357.50.

Marine Caught With Gun Replica

OCEAN CITY – An active duty marine appeared in District Court this week to face charges of transporting a gun replica.

Shane Goslee Johnson, 20, of Camp LeJeune, N.C., pleaded guilty to the charges Monday morning, receiving a $57.50 fine for the offense.

On Dec. 31, Ocean City Police officers observed a black van without a working rear taillight traveling on Coastal Highway in the area of 41st Street. Upon pulling Johnson over, officers observed the passenger put something at his feet. A search of the vehicle revealed a gun replica.

Johnson was found guilty and sentenced to probation before judgment with a $57.50 fine. Judge Daniel Mumford explained to Johnson that guns, whether real or not, put police officers in a defensive position, adding that Johnson won’t have any use for a gun replica in the Marines.

Boardwalk Theft Yields Jail Time

OCEAN CITY – Alton Lamie Smith, 21, of Washington D.C. pleaded not guilty to theft under $100 in District Court this week, resulting in a guilty sentence and 90 days in jail.

A witness in the case, an employee of a Boardwalk T-shirt shop, took the stand for the prosecution, claiming that Smith stole a sweatshirt from the store while she was working.

According to the witness, on Sept. 2, she and two other employees were getting ready to close the store when Smith and two other men came into the store and began trying on sweatshirts. The witness claimed that she turned her back and when she looked again, Smith and his two friends were leaving the store.

The witness noticed that two sweatshirts were missing and saw a white sweatshirt tucked in Smith’s pants and a tie-dye sweatshirt tucked in the pants of one of the other men. The witness told the other employees and they followed Smith, asking the three men to return and pay for the items. They all returned to the store but refused to pay, claiming they had not stolen anything. One of the men then ran from the store and Smith and the other man soon followed. All three were quickly apprehended by nearby Ocean City police officers.

Smith was found guilty of theft less than $100 and was sentenced to 90 days to the county jail, with credit for time served for 78 days.

Jail Time For Knife Attacker

SNOW HILL – An Ocean City man arrested last March after attacking his neighbor with a knife during a dispute over landlord issues pleaded guilty last week in Circuit Court to second-degree assault and was sentenced to 18 months in jail with all but two months suspended.

Kenneth D. Reed, 50, of Ocean City, was in Circuit Court facing a wide variety of serious charges including first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and carrying a deadly weapon with intent to injure for going after a neighbor during a fight. The neighbor, Gregory Jones, ultimately ended the altercation by whacking Reed on the head with a golf club, but Reed was charged because he brought a knife into the equation and threatened to kill Jones during a fit of rage.

Last Sept. 30, OCPD officers responded to a call for an assault in progress involving a knife and somebody bleeding at an apartment building on 43rd Street. The responding officer was met directed by neighbors to an apartment on the west side of the building, and the officer observed a trail of blood on the ground in front of and inside the unit. The officer also noticed a blood-stained golf club in the threshold of the unit.

The officer spoke with a hysterical woman who said her boyfriend, later identified as Reed, was hurt and that he was in the bathroom of the unit. The officer asked Reed’s girlfriend who had hurt him, but she was unable to respond. The officer later learned the girlfriend was deaf.

While the officer was speaking to the girlfriend, he was approached by a couple from another unit, including Jones, who said he was the one who injured Reed. Jones was taken into custody while police sorted out what had happened.

Jones said Reed blamed him for an incident with the landlord and asked him to fight. Jones said his wife told him not to go outside, but he heard somebody coming up the stairs and thought it might have been his daughter coming home from work.

When Jones opened his door, he saw Reed with a knife in his hand. Jones then told his wife to call 911 and attempted to close the door, but Reed tried to enter his residence. Jones told police he grabbed a golf club to force Reed back away from the door as Reed moved toward him with the knife.

When Reed continued to come toward Jones and threatened to stab him, Jones first hit Reed on the shoulder with the golf club. Reed did not relent and continued to come after Jones with the knife, and this time, Jones struck Reed in the head with the golf club. He then ran back into his residence.

After Reed was treated and released from the hospital, he was taken into custody and transported to the Public Safety Building on 65th Street. Another officer returned to Reed’s residence on 43rd Street and found a black folding knife with a 3-4 inch blade with blood on it in a dresser. The officer also recovered a wooden driver-style golf club in Reed’s unit.

Reed told the detectives he did go upstairs to confront Jones with the knife, but never intended to stab him nor did he ever attempt to enter his apartment. Reed did tell police he brought out the knife to scare Jones and may have threatened to kill him in his fit of rage, but never intended to stab Jones.

Crack Dealer Sentenced

SNOW HILL – A Berlin man who pleaded guilty to distributing crack cocaine in November after an arrest in Ocean City last April was sentenced last week to five years in jail with all but one year suspended.

Kevin Lamont Tankard, 25, of Berlin, was in Circuit Court last Friday for a sentencing hearing after pleading guilty to distributing crack cocaine in November. Tankard was sentenced to five years in jail with all but one year suspended and was placed on probation for two-and-a-half years.

Around 9 p.m. on April 20, OCPD officers served a search and seizure warrant on Tankard as he was walking along Philadelphia Ave. near 8th Street. As Tankard entered a nearby laundry mat, police took him to the ground and located over six grams of crack cocaine on his person. Tankard was charged with possession and possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Possession Charges Upheld For Local

OCEAN CITY – William Dawson Waugh, 49, of Ocean City, appeared in District Court this week to plead guilty to possession of marijuana.

According to police reports, on Sept. 26, Ocean City Police Officer Natalie Smolko arrived at 115th Street and Coastal Highway after receiving reports that a man was asleep in a bus shelter. Smolko arrived to find Waugh asleep in the bus shelter and awoke him. Waugh reportedly told Smolko that he had just been released from the Department of Corrections for possession of marijuana and was on his way home when he fell asleep at the bus stop.

When asked if he had any marijuana in his possession, Waugh pulled a variety of items from both pockets, dropping a small roach at his feet. Officer Smolko proceeded to place Waugh under arrest for possession of marijuana resulting in a slew of angry remarks from Waugh. The roach was later submitted for drug analysis and was found to be .1 grams of marijuana.

Waugh was found guilty of possession of marijuana and was sentenced to six days in the county jail with credit for time served for all six days. Waugh was also fined $557.50.

Guilty Plea For Vehicle Damage

OCEAN CITY – A Berlin man faced charges of malicious destruction of property in District Court this week following a New Year’s Eve incident that occurred in the parking lot of a local bar.

John Kirwan Sager, 25, pleaded guilty to malicious destruction of property this week, agreeing to pay $2,800 in restitution.

On Jan. 1, at 2:30 a.m., police responded to the parking lot of Seacrets after hearing reports of a damaged window on a vehicle. After talking to witnesses, Sager was identified as the perpetrator in the damage to the Volvo S-40’s window.

Sager pleaded guilty to the charges this week, claiming the incident was an “intoxicated lapse of judgment” that he does not remember.

Sager was found guilty and sentenced to probation before judgment with $557.50 in fines. Sager was also ordered to pay the amount of $2,800 to the victim for the damages to the vehicle.