FRANKFORD — An Ocean City man perished in a single-vehicle accident along a rural road in neighboring Frankford on Tuesday afternoon.
Around 4 p.m. on Tuesday, a 2007 Honda Accord, driven by Alfred E. Cochran, 75, of Ocean City, was traveling east on Gum Rd. near Pepper Rd. in Frankford. As the vehicle entered into a slight left curve at an apparent high rate of speed, it struck a culvert causing it to vault into the air.
Upon landing, the front end of the car struck the ground, causing it to flip violently end over end before coming to rest on the driver’s side in a ditch, according to police reports. Cochran, who was properly restrained and the lone occupant of the vehicle, was partially ejected and was pronounced dead at the scene. The Delaware State Police Collision Reconstruction Unit is continuing the investigation. Gum Rd. was closed for about two hours while the crash was investigated and cleared.
Suspect Insisted On
Getting In Ambulance
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia man was arrested for interfering with emergency service personnel at an emergency scene after attempting several times to climb into a waiting ambulance carrying another passenger following a three-car accident on Coastal Highway.
Around 8:45 p.m. last Saturday, the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) and emergency services responded to a three-vehicle accident on Coastal Highway near 66th Street. An Ocean City Fire Department (OCFD) captain was overseeing the crash scene with multiple apparatus on hand including ambulances and fire response vehicles. An unidentified female victim was being treated in a marked OCFD ambulance stopped in the highway at the scene.
An OCPD officer then observed an individual later identified as Bernard McKeever, Jr., 28, of Fairfax Station, Va., walking around the scene while apparently intoxicated. According to police reports, the officer noticed an odor of alcohol on McKeever’s breath and person and his eyes were glassy and bloodshot and his speech was slurred.
The officer twice told McKeever to sit on the curb while the crash investigation was ongoing, but he failed to listen. Meanwhile, the OCFD captain announced the ambulance carrying the female patient was about to leave. The OCPD officer then observed McKeever walk toward the marked ambulance and open a side storage cabinet before realizing it was not the vehicle’s door. McKeever then opened the side passenger door of the ambulance and attempted to get inside.
A fire department employee blocked McKeever from getting into the ambulance, but he insisted on getting in. The fire department captain told McKeever to leave, but he did not follow the instruction. The OCPD officer again told McKeever to get away from the ambulance and again the suspect insisted on getting into the vehicle. After being told several times, McKeever was ultimately arrested and charged with interfering with emergency services personnel at the scene of an emergency.
K-9 Discovers Weed
BERLIN — One man was arrested on marijuana charges this week after a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy pulled over to help him with a disabled vehicle.
Around 6:20 p.m. on Monday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was on patrol along Route 50 in the area of Logtown Rd. near Berlin when the officer stopped to check on a disabled vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle were unable to provide identification, however, further investigation led police to identify the driver as John Clifton Haley, 37, and the passenger as Jonathan Jones, 25. Based on a positive alert from a K-9 scan, the vehicle was searched and marijuana was located. Jones was arrested for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia and was released on a criminal citation.
Spinning Wheels, Weed
OCEAN CITY — A Virginia man was arrested on marijuana possession charges last weekend after police pulled over a vehicle in which he was riding for spinning wheels in downtown Ocean City.
Around 8:45 a.m. on Sunday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy on patrol in the area of Philadelphia Ave. and 1st Street in Ocean City observed a black Mercedes spinning its wheels. The deputy conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, identified as Jeremy Depasquale, 23, of Laurel, Del., and the passenger, identified as Richard Stanley, 24, of Yorktown, Va. A driver’s license check revealed Depasquale’s driving privilege in Delaware had been suspended.
A K-9 scan of the vehicle resulted in a positive alert, but the ensuing probable cause search met with negative results. The deputy then searched both suspects and located in Stanley’s front pocket a cigarette box containing two marijuana cigarettes. Stanley was arrested for possession of marijuana and Despasquale was issued traffic citations.
Heroin Bust On Highway
SNOW HILL — A Virginia man was arrested on drug possession charges after getting pulled over for speeding on Route 113 near Snow Hill last Saturday.
Around 9 a.m. last Saturday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy was traveling north on Route 113 in the area of Woodside Lane in Snow Hill when he observed a vehicle traveling 70 mph in a 55 mph zone. A traffic stop was conducted during which the deputy asked the driver, identified as David Zani, 23, of Portsmouth, Va., for consent to search the vehicle.
Zani consented and the search turned up heroin and marijuana in the vehicle along with paraphernalia. Zani was arrested and charged with two counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and one count of possession of paraphernalia. He was also issued a warning for speeding.
Wanted Woman Charged
OCEAN CITY — A Berlin woman wanted on an outstanding paternity warrant this week was found sleeping in a van in front of a residence on Hurricane Rd. and now faces multiple drug charges after a search of the vehicle.
Around 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Hurricane Rd. in an attempt to locate Ashley Nicole Lewis, 25, of Berlin, who was wanted on an outstanding warrant. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with Lewis, who was asleep in the front seat of a van parked in front of the residence. Lewis was placed under arrest for the outstanding warrant.
Deputies then searched the van after consent was given and located hypodermic syringes and metal spoons with heroin residue. Lewis was then charged with two counts of possession of paraphernalia and one count of possession of a controlled dangerous substance. She was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was ordered to be held on a $5,000 bond.
Chase Ends At Dead End
SALISBURY — A Salisbury man was arrested on burglary and other charges last week after allegedly breaking into a residence and leading police on a chase that ended on a dead-end street.
Around 11 p.m. last Tuesday, Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Gunby Rd. in Salisbury for a reported theft in progress. The first deputy to arrive on the scene attempted to stop a vehicle leaving the area with no headlights on. Instead of stopping, however, the vehicle pulled away at an increasing rate of speed.
The deputies pursued the vehicle until it became trapped at a dead-end on Colony Drive. At that point, the driver, later identified as Derek Largent, 31, of Salisbury, exited the vehicle and fled on foot through a field. With the assistance of a K-9 unit, the deputies were able to locate Largent hiding in the tall grass in the field and he was taken into custody without further incident.
The investigation revealed Largent had entered a garage at the residence and attempted to steal a power washer and a Honda motorcycle. Largent was identified as the suspect by the complainant who had caught him in the act. Largent was charged with second-degree burglary, theft and resisting arrest. Largent was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was ordered to be held on a $100,000 bond. He is currently awaiting trial stemming for two separate arrests on May 8 for theft and had been released pending trial in those cases.
Window-Breaking Spree
SALISBURY — A Bivalve woman was arrested on attempted theft and malicious destruction of property charges last week after breaking out windows of a residence and attempting to smash a car windshield.
Around 7:45 p.m. last Wednesday, Wicomico County Sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on Jesterville Rd. for a report of a suspect breaking windows in an attempt to gain entry into the home. Upon arrival, deputies located a suspect later identified as Carinthia Jackson, 51, of Bivalve, lying in the street in front of the residence. According to police reports, when the deputies made contact with Jackson, they detected an “overwhelming odor of alcohol.”
The investigation revealed Jackson had allegedly broken out seven different windows before attempting to smash a car windshield on the property. She allegedly used a paver, a garden sprinkler and a log at different times during the window-breaking spree. When she switched to the vehicle, she reportedly used a patio chair to attempt to break the windshield.
At one point, Jackson reportedly attempted to enter the residence through one of the windows she had broken and told the deputy that “her man was in that house.” Jackson was arrested and charged with attempted burglary and malicious destruction of property. She was detained in the Wicomico County Detention Center on a $10,000 bond.
Two Busted For Weed
During Speed Initiative
BERLIN — Two Laurel, Md. residents were arrested on drug and paraphernalia charges last weekend after getting pulled over on Route 50 in Berlin during a special Maryland State Police Memorial Day weekend speed enforcement initiative.
Around 2:10 p.m. last Saturday, MSP troopers were conducting a special speed enforcement detail on Route 50 when a vehicle was clocked going 78 mph in a 55 mph zone near Route 346. As troopers approached the vehicle, a strong odor of marijuana was detected coming from inside. A probable cause search was conducted, resulting in the discovery of over 19 grams of marijuana, hashish oil and various items of paraphernalia.
Due to the quantity of over 16 grams, the vehicle’s driver, identified as Patricia Johnston of Laurel, was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was released on personal recognizance. The passenger, identified as Amanda Morehead, also of Laurel, was released on a criminal citation.