Trespassing, Heroin At Wal-Mart

BERLIN — A Berlin man was arrested on multiple charges last week after repeated trespassing at the Wal-Mart on Route 50.

Shortly before 1 p.m. last Friday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy responded to the Wal-Mart in Berlin for a trespassing complaint. The deputy met with the store’s asset protection associate and learned a suspect, identified as Christian Robert Boyles, 45, of Berlin, who had been cited for trespassing at the store last June, had been seen again in the store that day. Boyles had left the Wal-Mart before the deputy arrived last Friday.

Around 4:15 p.m. last Friday, a Worcester County Sheriff’s deputy responded back to Wal-Mart because Boyles had been seen in the store a second time. The deputy approached Boyles, who attempted to pull away from the officer several times. As Boyles attempted to pull away from the deputy, he also attempted to toss several packages of heroin.

Boyles was arrested and charged with two counts of trespassing, resisting arrest, and possession of heroin. He was taken before a District Court Commissioner and was released on a $10,000 unsecured bond.

Trespasser Nearly Tased

OCEAN CITY — Police were nearly forced to deploy a Taser gun last week after an Ocean City allegedly assaulted a police officer and trespassed at the Gold Coast Mall.

Around 9:30 p.m. last Monday, Ocean City Police were dispatched to the Family Dollar store at the Gold Coast Mall for a reported suspicious male. The officers located the male matching the description provided who had allegedly been loitering just inside the store’s entrance. Officers identified the suspect as Cortez Brittingham, 22, of Ocean City, and when asked what he was doing, the suspect told police he wasn’t doing anything wrong.

OCPD officers contacted the mall’s security guard, who presented Brittingham with a trespass warning and advised him he was not allowed anywhere on the property of the Gold Coast Mall. At that point, Brittingham became agitated and uncooperative and threw his cell phone in the air, according to police reports.

Around 10:15 p.m., OCPD officers got another call that Brittingham was back on the mall property. When the officers confronted Brittingham and attempted to place him under arrest for trespassing, Brittingham allegedly assumed a fighting stance and attempted to strike one of the officers with a closed fist.

The officer was able to take down Brittingham, who continued to resist. At that point, a second officer yelled to the suspect to advise him he was about to be targeted with a taser. Brittingham fell to the ground and attempted to sit up. He was taken into custody and was charged with trespassing, second-degree assault and resisting arrest.

Replica Handgun Bust

OCEAN CITY — A Cheverly, Md. man was arrested on drug and weapons charges last week after getting pulled over for going the wrong way on a one-way street in Ocean City.

Around 11:55 p.m. last Sunday, an OCPD officer observed a vehicle turn east from Coastal Highway onto 33rd Street, which is a one-way street. The officer pulled over the vehicle and instructed the driver, later identified as Brandon Tatum, 20, of Cheverly, to pull into a nearby parking lot. During the traffic stop, the officer detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle.

The officer instructed Tatum and his passenger to exit the vehicle and sit on a nearby brick wall. The officer told the suspects he had detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle, but they denied the presence of weed in the car. When asked if there was anything else illegal in the vehicle, Tatum advised the officer there was an “air soft” gun in the rear map packet. When asked why he had an air soft gun in the vehicle, Tatum told police it was his son’s toy.

During a search, the officer located a replica handgun under the driver’s seat. According to police reports, the officer at first believed the weapon was a real handgun. The officer manipulated the magazine release and removed a magazine that could hold ammunition. The officer inspected the weapon and determined it was capable of firing a projectile and ensured it was not loaded, according to police reports.

Inside the center console, the officers recovered a baggie of suspected marijuana along with a package of “Backwoods Honey Berry” cigars. Tatum was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana and possession of a replica handgun within the corporate limits of Ocean City.

Murder Charges Filed

SALISBURY — A Salisbury man faces first-degree murder charges after allegedly shooting and killing his mother on Christmas Day.

Around 3:45 p.m. on Dec. 25, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office responded to a residence on Kiowa Ave. in Salisbury for a reported victim with a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, deputies made contact with a female victim, later identified as Mary Denise Alonzo, 49, of Salisbury, who had suffered a gunshot wound to the head. She later died.

The Wicomico Bureau of Investigation (WBI) responded to investigate the incident and interviewed witnesses who identified the shooter as Jack Braboy, 24, of Salisbury, who is the victim’s son. According to police reports, the incident started as an argument between family members over Braboy having a gun in the house and ended with the suspect shooting his mother first in the chest and then twice in the head.

Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputies and Maryland State Police Troopers searched the area for Braboy, who was located a short time later in the area of Delaware Ave. and was taken into custody without further incident.

Attempted Murder

Charge For Assault

SALISBURY — A Salisbury woman was arrested on attempted second-degree murder charges last week after robbing a cab driver at knifepoint.

Around 10:30 p.m. last Tuesday, Salisbury Police responded to the area of E. Church Street for a reported armed robbery of a Bailey’s taxi driver. Officers met with the victim, who said he was called to respond to the Royal Farms on S. Salisbury Blvd. and E. Main Street to pick up a fare. The female fare entered the cab and requested to go to an address on E. Church Street.

Upon arrival at the destination, the suspect advised the taxi driver to pull behind a house on E. Church St. Once the cab was behind the house, the victim felt what he described as a knife pressed up against the back of his neck by the suspect, who was seated in the back seat. The suspect then stated, “give me all of your money or I will cut your throat,” according to police reports.

The victim then gave the suspect an undisclosed amount of money. The suspect then exited the cab and fled on foot. The Fruitland Police Department responded and conducted a track, but was unsuccessful in locating the suspect. A witness told police they observed the suspect running and getting into a newer model Ford Explorer.

A description of the vehicle was broadcast to area law enforcement agencies. A short time later, a Maryland State Police trooper conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle and found a suspect matching the description of the cab driver assailant was operating the vehicle. The suspect wa identified as Meredis Latonya Fluitt, 37, of Salisbury.

She has been charged with attempted second-degree murder, armed robbery, robbery, first- and second-degree assault, theft, reckless endangerment and possession of a deadly weapon. The victim received minor injuries to his neck and was treated on the scene by EMS.