NEW FOR TUESDAY: Pedestrian Killed On Coastal Highway by Drunk Driver; Big Flag Wave Pictures; Memorial Day Weekend Crowd Estimates

Shawn J. Soper

News Editor

OCEAN CITY — The holiday weekend in the resort was marred in part by tragedy when a pedestrian was struck and killed by an alleged drunk driver early Monday.

Around 1:20 a.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 54th Street and Coastal Highway for a reported hit-and-run accident involving a pedestrian. The investigation revealed the pedestrian, later identified as Matthew Jude Cheswick, was attempting to cross Coastal Highway from east to west when he was struck by an Isuzu Rodeo traveling northbound in the bus lane.

After striking the victim, the driver, identified as Diogo Miller Facchini, 30, of Lorton, Va., continued to travel north on Coastal Highway before turning right on 55th Street, where witnesses followed his vehicle until he was apprehended by police. The preliminary investigation revealed Facchini was traveling at a speed exceeding the posted limit when he struck the victim. Cheswick was taken to PRMC where he was later pronounced deceased.

Facchini, who was not injured during the collision, was arrested and charged with homicide by motor vehicle while intoxicated, leaving the scene of a fatal collision, driving under the influence and while impaired and numerous other traffic violations. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and is being held on a $250,000 bond.

Big Flag Wave Pictures From Yesterday

Bill Funkhouser shared some photos from yesterday’s Memorial Day event on the beach. See www.facebook.com/thedispatchoc

Memorial Day Crowds On Par With Last Year’s Record-Setting Figures

Here’s a look at this year’s Memorial Day weekend population estimates compared to the last 20 years, based off demoflush estimates calculated by the Town of Ocean City.

2012: 281,812

2011: 281,895

2010: 254,717

2009: 270,421

2008: 226,748

2007: 259,823

2006: 239,789

2005: 216,371

2004: 242,286

2003: 197,725

2002: 237,791

2001: 216,038

2000: 242,730

1999: 248,446

1998: 234,961

1997: 204,972

1996: 224,621

1995: 249,722

1994: 260,432

1993: 278,468

1992: 259,212