Bar Fracas Leads To Arrest

Bar Fracas Leads To Arrest
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OCEAN CITY – A Salisbury man was arrested on disorderly conduct and resisting arrest charges last weekend after battling first with security staff at an uptown restaurant and later with Ocean City police.

Shortly before 2 a.m. last Saturday, Ocean City police officers on uniformed patrol in the area of 126th Street observed a man later identified as Kylor Berkman, 23, of Salisbury, being dragged from the Blue Ox restaurant by his friends. According to police reports, Berkman was yelling a stream of obscenities at bar security staff as they instructed him to leave the premises. Berkman reportedly did not leave quietly and attempted to break free from his friends’ grasp and attempted to get back at bar staff members.

The OCPD officers instructed Berkman, who appeared intoxicated, to leave the premises, and his friends were able to get the suspect back to the adjacent Holiday Inn Express without further incident. About 10 minutes later, OCPD officers observed Berkman, now clad only in a T-shirt, shorts and socks with no shoes, stagger across the hotel parking lot in the rain in an attempt to go back to the Blue Ox to confront the security staff. Police told Berkman multiple times to leave the premises and go back to the hotel. Berkman reportedly walked slowly down the stairs from the entrance to the bar, but continued to yell obscenities toward the bar staff.

Berkman continued to yell and scream obscenities as he crossed the parking lot, attracting the attention of other people in the parking lot as well as hotel guests looking out of their windows. Berkman allegedly fired one more verbal salvo at the bar staff before the OCPD officers decided to arrest him for disorderly conduct. Two OCPD officers attempted to take Berkman into custody, but could not grab him by the arms because he was slippery from the rain and sweat, according to police reports.

Berkman twisted away and tried to leave the area while continuing to resist arrest. Finally, an OCPD officer grabbed the suspect and hip-tossed him to the ground. Berkman allegedly continued to resist and would not allow police to handcuff him. He was finally subdued after an officer delivered two knee strikes to his mid-section and several officers were able place his wrists in handcuffs.

Armed Robber Nabbed

BERLIN – A Snow Hill man was arrested on armed robbery and other serious charges this week after first robbing a woman at gunpoint in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart in Pocomoke and then attempting to cash the victim’s checks at a bank in Fruitland the next day.

Around 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, the female victim had just finished loading her groceries into her vehicle and was attempting to open the driver’s door when she was approached by the suspect, later identified as Anthony Rashawn Schoolfield, 26, of Snow Hill, who asked her for change for a dollar.

When the victim would not give Schoolfied the change, he allegedly produced a handgun and ordered her to get into her vehicle. The victim refused to get in the vehicle, at which point Schoolfield allegedly forcefully stole the victim’s pocketbook from her shoulder and fled the scene.

On Monday, the manager of the Fruitland branch of the First Shore Federal Bank called Fruitland Police to report a suspicious suspect attempting to cash the victim’s checks. Fruitland Police arrived and detained Schoolfield until a detective from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI) arrived and interviewed the suspect.

During the interview, Schoolfield allegedly admitted robbing the victim the previous day. Schoolfield was arrested and charged with armed robbery, robbery, using a handgun in the commission of a felony, second-degree assault, theft under $100 and reckless endangerment. He is being held at the Worcester County Detention Center on a $250,000 bond.

Wild Scooter Ride

OCEAN CITY – A Selbyville, Del. man was arrested on a resisting arrest charge this week after an incident that began at a north-end convenience store and included a wild scooter ride and ended with the suspect being arrested after fleeing on foot.

Around 2:40 a.m. on Monday, an OCPD officer on routine patrol in the area of 139th Street observed a man later identified as Gerald Lee Lusby, 37, of Selbyville, standing next to a motor scooter in the parking lot of the 7-Eleven store. According to police reports, Lusby was staggering around the parking lot narrowly avoiding cars coming in and out of the store and eventually knocked over the scooter. He reportedly went back inside the store for as long as 30 minutes and then disappeared behind the store for another 10-15 minutes, according to police reports.

The officer observed Lusby get on the scooter and exit the parking lot, entering Coastal Highway without breaking or looking in either direction. The officer got behind Lusby and activated his emergency lights, but the suspect allegedly looked back before darting east on 142nd Street on the scooter. Lusby continued on 142nd Street before entering the Hawaiian Village condominium building parking lot, crashing into and laying the scooter down on the ground.

Lusby remounted the scooter and continued into the parking garage, running over a concrete parking curb and some landscape edging before getting on the sidewalk. Still on the scooter, Lusby dashed across Coastal Highway at 142nd Street and turned left on Sinepuxent Ave. and then right on 141st Street. He then turned into a residence on Derrickson Ave. and crashed the scooter in the yard.

Lusby then fled from police on foot, running into the back yard of a residence on 142nd Street. OCPD officers gave chase on foot and ordered Lusby to stop fleeing. An OCPD officer was able to take Lusby to the ground, but the suspect continued to fight with officers. He was eventually subdued after a struggle.

Finally, around 3:50 a.m., or over an hour after the incident began, Lusby was taken into custody. According to police reports, he exhibited signs of being intoxicated. A check of his identification revealed his Maryland driving privilege was suspended and revoked, and he was ineligible for a driver’s license in Delaware. He refused to take a breath test.

According to police reports, Lusby allegedly said during booking, “Man, I am so backed up on child support and [expletive deleted] stupid. I should have stopped.”

Prescription Fraud

OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City woman was arrested last week for attempting to obtain prescription medicine from a resort pharmacy using forged doctor’s notes.

Around 4 p.m. last Friday, Ocean City Police narcotics detectives concluded an investigation into a local woman attempting to illegally obtain controlled dangerous medications using fraudulent and forged doctor’s prescriptions. In cooperation with a local pharmacy, OCPD narcotics detectives set up an undercover surveillance operation during which the suspect, identified as Tiffany Lynn Lamartina, 25, of Ocean City, tried to obtain the CDS by use of a fraudulent prescription.

Lamartina was immediately arrested and charged with attempting to obtain a prescription drug by fraud. She was taken before a District Court Commissioner and ordered held on a $3,500 bond. She was then transferred to the Worcester County Jail.

The OCPD is taking the opportunity to remind citizens it is taking the illegal use and acquisition of all drugs seriously. OCPD officials said in a release they department will continue to enforce CDS laws and work in conjunction with local pharmacies to ensure that dangerous prescription narcotics are dispensed only to authorized persons.

Protective Order Violation

OCEAN PINES – An Ocean Pines man was arrested last week for violating a protective order that stemmed from an earlier domestic incident.

Ocean Pines police last week arrested Dezohnn Cromone Scott, 30, of Ocean Pines, for violating a protective order issued by a judge following a domestic disturbance. Scott was arrested at his residence and charged with a violation of an ex parte order. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was later released after posting a $25,000 unsecured bond pending trial.

Traffic Stop Nets Arrest

OCEAN PINES – A Pasadena man pulled over in Ocean Pines on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol was also charged with resisting arrest after scuffling with police.

Last Wednesday, Ocean Pines Police pulled over Wayne Anthony Childress, 34, of Pasadena, on suspicion of driving under the influence. While Ocean Pine Police were attempting to take Childress into custody, he allegedly resisted and was charged with that offense as well. Childress was taken before a District Court Commissioner and later released on his own recognizance pending trial.

Probation For Cop Assault

OCEAN CITY – An Ocean City man arrested in November after attacking an OCPD officer who responded to his residence for a domestic dispute in progress pleaded guilty this week in District Court to second-degree assault and was placed on supervised probation for two years.

Around 10:40 p.m. on Nov. 5, Ocean City police officers were dispatched to a residence on Lighthouse Ave. in Ocean City for a reported domestic dispute in progress. Upon arrival, the officers reported they could hear shouting and screaming coming from inside the residence. The officers also reported hearing several loud bangs and crashes coming from inside. They also reported hearing a female voice yelling, “stop it, the police are coming,” and a male voice shout back, “I don’t care, I’ll kick their [expletive deleted].”

A short time later, the door opened and a female told the officers to come in. The officers observed an individual, later identified as Christopher L. Stant, 18, of Ocean City, standing beside the woman screaming unintelligible words. Stant was identified as the woman’s son. The officers noticed Stant’s pants were covered with several red, rusty splatter stains, which turned out to be blood, according to police reports. The officers also noticed blood dripping down from a deep laceration on Stant’s elbow and another bleeding laceration on his right forearm that appeared to be inflicted by a cutting type of instrument, according to police reports.

OCPD officers also observed what appeared to be a fresh, moderate-sized bloodstain dripping down the wall behind Stant. Scattered around the furniture and floor directly behind Stant were several razor box cutters, folding knives and sharp drill bits. Because of the amount of blood on Stant and his close proximity to several possible weapons, the officers asked Stant to step out on the porch area so they could talk to him.

As the officer started to walk toward Stant, the suspect started to walk backward before reversing his direction and walking directly at the officer. The officer put his hands up in a defensive posture, but Stant grabbed the officer by the forearms. The officer told Stant to let go of his arms, but he refused, attempting to hold one of the officer’s arms with one hand while pushing him back with the other.

The officer then pushed Stant away before putting his arms around the suspect’s upper body and tackling him to the ground. Stant was then placed under arrest for second-degree assault on an officer. This week, Stant pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was placed on probation for two years.

Fugitive Wanted Again

BERLIN – A Washington D.C. man picked up by Ocean City police on a fugitive warrant in October is on the loose again after failing to appear for a court proceeding last week, resulting in a new warrant being sworn out on him.

Around 10:45 p.m. on Oct. 31, Ocean City Police made a traffic stop on Coastal Highway in the area of 38th Street. The suspect, later identified as Christopher McCray, 24, of Washington, D.C., at first gave OCPD officers a false name and date of birth. However, it was later determined the suspect, identified as McCray, had two active warrants out for his arrest.

McCray was wanted in St. Mary’s County for failure to appear for a court date and in Prince George’s County for first-degree assault and armed robbery. In addition to being served with the out-of-county warrants, McCray was charged locally with driving a vehicle without rear registration illumination, driving without a license, giving a false and fictitious name to police and other traffic charges.

McCray was transferred to the Worcester County Jail with a detainer and warrant from both St. Mary’s and Prince George’s Counties, along with the local charges but was later released. He was scheduled to appear for trial in District Court last Friday for the charges in Worcester County, but did not show up and had a new warrant sworn out on him.