Six Injured In Accident

Six Injured In Accident
Social Issues Government26

OCEAN CITY — Traffic was snarled in the downtown area Monday night after a single-vehicle accident that sent six victims to the hospital with injuries not believed to be life-threatening.

Around 9 p.m. on Monday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 3rd Street and Philadelphia Ave. for a reported single-vehicle collision. The investigation revealed a vehicle traveling southbound on Philadelphia Ave. swerved from the roadway and struck a utility police near 3rd Street. In addition to the driver, a 19-year-old male from Abingdon, Md., the vehicle was also occupied by five passengers.

There were no life-threatening injuries resulting from the collision, but the driver and all six passengers were transported to PRMC in Salisbury for treatment of minor injuries. The accident caused significant back-ups in the downtown area for over an hour as crews cleared the scene and the injured passengers were transported.

Guard Stand Ends Up In Road

OCEAN CITY — Two Maryland men were arrested on vandalism charges last week after allegedly carrying an Ocean City Beach Patrol lifeguard stand from the beach to Coastal Highway.

Around 3:45 a.m. last Thursday, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 139th Street for a report of disorderly conduct and the possible theft of a lifeguard chair. Upon arrival, officers located a lifeguard chair near the bus lane on the northbound side of Coastal Highway. Witnesses at the scene told police they saw five men carrying the lifeguard stand from the beach and setting it in the roadway.

According to witnesses, three of the suspects fled the area when police arrived, but the other two suspects, later identified as Matthew Winemiller, 24, of Whiteford, Md., and Michael Albert, 24, of Port Deposit, Md., were located by police in the area of 138th Street. Winemiller and Whiteford were arrested and charged with theft and disorderly conduct.

WOC Accident Snarls Traffic

WEST OCEAN CITY — A West Ocean City man was arrested on drunk driving charges after causing a three-car accident on Route 50 just west of the Harry Kelley Memorial Bridge last Friday evening.

Around 8:30 p.m. last Friday, Maryland State Police responded to a reported accident on Route 50 just west of the bridge. The investigation revealed a vehicle driven by David Leyden, 23, of West Ocean City, was traveling west on Route 50 approaching a red traffic signal at Inlet Isle Lane when it ran into the back of another vehicle stopped at the light.

The force of the collision caused the struck vehicle to run into the vehicle in front of it, also stopped at the light. Two minors were injured in the collision although neither required transport to the hospital. Leyden was arrested and charged with driving under the influence, negligent driving, driving on an expired license, failure to control speed to avoid a collision. The westbound lanes of Route 50 near the bridge were closed for about half an hour, causing serious traffic delays on a busy Friday evening.

3rd Stomping Suspect Sentenced

SNOW HILL — The third of three men arrested last July after kicking and stomping a man in the 45th Street area was sentenced last week to two years in jail, all of which was suspended in favor of probation and a fine.

Shortly before 3 a.m. last July 4, OCPD responded to the 45th Street area for a reported fight in progress. Upon arrival, OCPD officers met with an injured victim suffering severe wounds to his face, head and neck. The victim was unresponsive to the officers’ questions because of his injuries and was eventually transported to an area hospital.

Police met with the victim’s wife who said her husband had been in a fight with several Hispanic males. During the fight, the victim was pushed to the ground and the suspects repeatedly kicked him in the head, face and neck. The victim’s wife said the beating went on for several minutes before the suspects heard police sirens and fled the area.

The victim’s wife and several witnesses provided police with a description of the suspects and the Acura sedan in which they were traveling. The Acura was spotted a short time later in the 42nd Street area, and when the officers stopped and approached the vehicle, two of the suspects got out and fled on foot despite orders from police to stop.

However, three suspects remained in the vehicle and were detained until the victim’s wife and other witnesses were brought to the scene to identify them as the attackers.

The three suspects, identified as Oscar Segovia, 22, of Hyattsville, Jonathan Lopez, 20, of Bladensburg, and Henry Sorto, 23, of Beltsville, were each arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and disorderly conduct for “endangering the victim’s life by kicking him in the head and neck,” according to police reports.

In February, Segovia pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. Back in Circuit Court last week, Segovia was sentenced to two years in jail, all of which was suspended. He was then placed on probation for 18 months and fined $500.

Last week, Lopez pleaded guilty to first-degree assault and disorderly conduct for his role in the attack and was sentenced to four years in jail. Lopez was also fined $500 and was ordered to pay his share of $2,187 in restitution to the victim. In January, Sorto pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and was sentenced to three years in jail, all but one of which was suspended. Sorto was also ordered to pay a share of $2,187 in restitution to the victim.

Suspended Sentence For Thief

SNOW HILL — A Berlin man arrested on burglary and theft charges this week after investigators were able to connect him to a break-in at a Perdue facility in Bishopville pleaded guilty last week in Circuit Court and was sentenced to four years in jail, all of which was suspended in favor of probation and a fine.

Last Nov. 19, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office took an initial report of a burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property case at the Perdue facility in Bishopville including several chicken houses and an office building. Because of the nature of the reported burglary, the case was forwarded to the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation (WCBI).

The investigation revealed the suspect or suspects had gained entry to the facility by forcing open a door to the office building. Once entry was gained, access to the entire facility was possible. According to police reports, the entire building was gutted for the valuable copper, aluminum and other precious metals. The interior walls and ceilings were damaged to gain access to the metals inside.

WCBI detectives were able to connect a suspect, identified as Christopher Charles Simone, 31, of Berlin, to the break-in at the Perdue facility. A neighbor reported seeing a vehicle registered to Simone around the premises. The same neighbor reported seeing a white male matching Simone’s description walking across the Perdue property and carrying buckets in the direction of his parked vehicle.

WCBI conducted a lengthy and thorough search of invoices from area salvage yards where precious metals are often exchanged for cash. Detectives discovered several invoices in Simone’s name during the week following the Perdue break-in for copper and aluminum in amounts consistent with the estimated loss at the facility.

Based on the information, detectives formally charged Simone with burglary, theft and malicious destruction of property and a warrant for his arrest was sworn. Last Wednesday, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate Simone and the suspect was taken into custody without incident.

Last week in Circuit Court, Simone pleaded guilty to theft from $1,000 to $10,000 and was sentenced to four years in jail. The sentence was then suspended and Simone was placed on probation for two years and fined $500.

Paintball Burglar Sentenced

SNOW HILL — A Berlin man, one of three arrested in November after Worcester County Bureau of Investigations (WCBI) detectives were able to connect him to a break-in at a West Ocean City paintball facility last July pleaded guilty this week in Circuit Court and was sentenced to six years in jail, most of which was suspended.

Shortly before noon on July 14, a Maryland State Police trooper was dispatched to a burglary alarm at OC Paintball on Route 50 in West Ocean City. The investigation revealed a window to the building had been broken. A perimeter was secured and additional resources, including a K-9 unit from the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department, were requested and an entire search of the facility and its grounds was conducted to no avail.

Evidence collected at the scene was sent to the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division for analysis and resulted in the positive identification of one suspect. As a result of the analysis and the confirmation of the identity of one alleged suspect, interviews were conducted that resulted in confessions being obtained from three individuals including two adults and one juvenile in November.

Arrested were Patrick M. Simpson, 21, James Joseph Glenn, 21, and a 17-year-old juvenile, all of Berlin. Each was charged with burglary, conspiracy to commit burglary and malicious destruction of property. This week, Simpson pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit burglary and was sentenced to six years in jail, all but 18 months of which were then suspended.

Simpson was also placed on probation for two years, fined $500 and ordered to pay $500 in restitution to the victim. In June, Glenn pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 18 months, all but 10 days of which were suspended. He was also fined $500, placed on probation for three years and ordered to pay $500 in restitution to the victims.

Roadside Rape Alleged

SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested on a first-degree rape charge last week after allegedly picking up a girl on the side of Crooked Oak Rd. and sexually assaulting her in a remote area along a dirt road.

Shortly after 2 a.m. last Friday, a Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to the area of Crooked Oak Lane near Nanticoke Rd. in Salisbury for a reported rape. The deputy met with a female victim who told the officer she had been picked up by a passerby along the road and had been taken to a dirt lane off Crooked Oak Lane and was raped by the suspect.

The deputy observed the victim’s condition and behavior was consistent with her allegation. The deputy then went to the area where the incident allegedly occurred and located the suspect, Handy T. Cornish, 31, of Parsonsburg, sitting in a vehicle. Cornish and the vehicle matched the description provided by the victim.

The deputy then collected further evidence corroborating the victim’s story, according to police reports. Cornish was arrested and charged with first-degree rape. He is being held without bond.

Salisbury Shooter Sought

SALISBURY — Salisbury Police this week are seeking the public’s help in identifying a suspect wanted in connection with a shooting early last Sunday morning.

Around 2 a.m. last Sunday, Salisbury Police responded to PRMC for a reported gunshot victim. Officers met with the 18-year-old victim suffering from a single gunshot wound to the torso. The victim told police he was walking in the area of Delaware Ave. when he was approached by a lone male suspect.

The suspect allegedly attempted to grab the victim, at which point the victim took off running. The suspect then shot the victim one time as he fled. The victim was treated at PRMC and released. The investigation is ongoing and no suspects have been identified.