Pines Woman Faces 25 Years For Theft

SALISBURY — An Ocean Pines woman was convicted by a Wicomico County judge last week of stealing over $300,000 from a Salisbury-area construction firm where she worked as a bookkeeper for a three-year period from 2007 to 2010 and now faces a sentence of up to 25 years in jail.
A Wicomico County judge last week found Diane Marie King, 53, of Ocean Pines, guilty of stealing $372,443 from the local business Addcon between November 2007 and August of 2010. King acted as the company’s bookkeeper during that time period. A sentencing hearing has been set for Oct. 3.
King faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in the Department of Corrections. Wicomico County State’s Attorney Matt Maciarello commended the Wicomico County Bureau of Investigation for their work in the investigation and prosecution of the case against King.

Stabbing Suspects Convicted
SNOW HILL — Two of the three men charged in April in connection with a stabbing incident outside a downtown convenience store each pleaded guilty last week to second-degree assault and each was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
On April 11, Ocean City Police responded to the 7-Eleven store on Coastal Highway at 26th Street for a reported fight. When officers arrived, the fight had already broken up and those involved had left the area. About 30 minutes later, OCPD officers received a complaint about a stabbing and met with a victim at a residence on 146th Street.
While talking with the victim, officers learned the victim had been involved in the previously reported fight at the 7-11 on 26th Street, during which the victim was assaulted with a knife and sustained two stab wounds. The victim was treated by Ocean City paramedics and was transported to PRMC.
During the investigation, OCPD detectives identified the suspect as Brandon Maurice Hudson, 24, of Snow Hill. Investigators obtained information about Hudson’s possible whereabouts and he was located at around 4 p.m. the following day in Berlin. Hudson was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault and possession of a deadly weapon with intent to injure.
Ocean City Police later announced they had made two more arrests in connection with the fight and stabbing incident. During the subsequent investigation, OCPD detectives identified two other suspects involved in the incident including Christopher Alexander Jones, 38, of Salisbury, and Darian LaMar Waters, 25, of Snow Hill.
Jones and Waters last week each appeared for trial and each pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and each was sentenced to 30 days. Meanwhile, the primary suspect, Hudson, has been charged with first- and second-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon with intent to injure. He is scheduled to appear for trial on November 13.

Probation For Knife Threat
OCEAN CITY — A Pennsylvania woman, arrested in July after threatening her boyfriend with a knife and holding it to his throat before fleeing with her 18-month-old child, pleaded guilty this week to second-degree assault and was placed on probation for 18 months.
Around 1 a.m. on July 30, Ocean City Police responded to the area of 47th Street for a reported assault involving a knife. The victim told police he had gotten into an argument with his girlfriend, later identified as Sibyl Curran, 32, of Coaldale, Pa. According to the victim, Curran had just arrived in Ocean City with her 18-month-old child.
During the argument, Curran allegedly brandished a folding knife and held it to the victim’s throat. The victim was able to wrestle the knife from Curran, who then grabbed her child and fled the unit. OCPD officers were able to locate Curran and her child nearby and took both into custody. During a search incident to the arrest, Curran was found to be in possession of a small amount of oxycodone.
Ocean City Police charged Curran with first- and second-degree assault, reckless endangerment, possession of a dangerous weapon with intent to injure and possession of oxycodone. Last week in District Court, Curran pleaded guilty to second-degree assault and carrying a dangerous weapon with intent to injure and was placed on probation for 18 months.

Citizen Tip Nabs
Alleged Armed Robber
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested this week on armed robbery and assault charges after allegedly holding up a convenience store at gunpoint last weekend.
At around 9:35 p.m. last Sunday, an unidentified man entered the Royal Farms convenience store on N. Salisbury Blvd. and displayed a firearm and demanded money from the clerk. The suspect then fled the business on foot after obtaining the undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported.
Salisbury Police responded and searched for the suspect to no avail. On Tuesday, Salisbury Police detectives got a tip from a citizen about the armed robbery, identifying Arthur Leonard Brown, 55, of Salisbury, as the suspect in the convenience store hold-up. A warrant was obtained for his arrest and Brown was taken into custody by the Maryland State Police Apprehension Team on Tuesday. Brown has  been charged with armed robbery, second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and the use of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Attempted Stabbing Case
Sent To Circuit Court
OCEAN CITY — A Connecticut man, arrested in July on first-degree assault and other charges after allegedly pulling a knife and nearly stabbing a resort bar owner outside a downtown nightclub, had his case forwarded to Worcester County Circuit Court this week.
Around 1:40 a.m. on July 22, Ocean City Police were dispatched to the Sandbar Karaoke Lounge on 33rd Street for a reported fight in progress. When the officer arrived, she observed three men, including bar owner Eric Thompson and two employees, holding down a third man, later identified as Justin J. Parlow, 22, of Derby, Connecticut.
One of the employees pointed to some nearby bushes and told the officer “the knife is in there,” according to police reports. The officer interviewed Thompson, who told police just before their arrival, Parlow had been involved in a physical altercation with other patrons outside of the bar. Thompson told police when he went outside to break up the fight, Parlow “bear hugged” him and tackled him to the ground.
The victim said at one point when he was trying to wrestle away from Parlow on the ground, the suspect pulled out a folding knife, opened the blade and pushed it toward his left thigh. The victim told police he could feel the blade of the knife touch his thigh after Parlow pulled it out and pushed it toward him. Thompson told police he thought Parlow was going to stab him. Thompson said at that point, bouncer Tyler Lundy and several other bar employees and patrons jumped on Parlow to try to wrestle the knife from his right hand.
Lundy told police Parlow and his girlfriend had gotten into an argument with another couple outside the bar and that Parlow’s girlfriend had assaulted the male half of the other couple. Lundy said at that point, Thompson came out to break up the fight and Parlow wrestled him to the ground. The bouncer said as Thompson was trying to push Parlow off him, the suspect pulled out the knife and pushed it toward Thompson’s thigh.
Lundy said he and other bar patrons jumped on Parlow and he was eventually able to kick the knife from the suspect’s hand and then threw it in the bushes out of Parlow’s reach. Lundy told police he was in fear for his own life and for Thompson’s life. Several other witnesses corroborated the victims’ account of the incident.
Another OCPD officer recovered the weapon, a folding knife with a three-inch blade, in the bushes. Parlow was arrested and charged with first-degree assault, second-degree assault and openly carrying a dangerous weapon with intent to injure. Parlow was scheduled to appear in District Court last week, but had the case against him forwarded to Circuit Court. He is now scheduled to be arraigned on October 9.

Traffic Laws To Change
OCEAN CITY — Ocean City Police this week reminded residents and visitors new traffic laws aimed at distracted driving will go into effect on October 1 and will be strictly enforced by the department.
Starting October 1, changes in Maryland law dictated by legislation passed by the General Assembly earlier this year will allow law enforcement officers around the state to stop drivers for hand-held cell phone use. In addition, all passengers in a motor vehicle will be required to wear seat belts starting Oct. 1. Fines for first-time cell phone use violators will increase from $40 to $75. Passengers not buckled up could see fines increase from $25 to $50.
“Distracted driving because of cell phone use and texting is one of the leading causes of motor vehicle collisions,” said OCPD Chief Ross Buzzuro. “According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 11 percent of fatal auto accidents and 17 percent of injury crashes in 2011 cited distracted driving as a contributing factor. Drivers should always remember to park the phone before driving.”
According to the OCPD, parking the phone is not the only simple thing that can be done to protect safety on the roads. Wearing a seat belt s one of the single most essential choices a citizen can make in a vehicle. The NHTSA reported seat belts saved nearly 12,000 lives nationwide last year. Ocean City Police are dedicated to protecting the safety of drivers and will enforce the new legislation changes beginning October 1.