SNOW HILL — A Bishopville man, arrested last June after striking another man in the head with a brick, was found guilty last week of second-degree assault and was sentenced to one year in jail, all but 14 days of which were suspended.
Last June 18, Worcester County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of Hotel Rd. in Bishopville for a reported assault. Upon arrival, the deputies made contact with the victim, who told police he had been struck in the head with a brick by Tony Lamont Townsend, 57, of Bishopville. Townsend was arrested and charged with first- and second-degree assault.
Last week, Townsend was found guilty of second-degree assault and was sentenced to one year, all but 14 days of which were suspended. He was also placed on probation for 18 months upon his release and was fined $250.
Guilty Plea In Bus Driver Attack
SNOW HILL — The third of three suspects indicted on armed robbery and other serious charges following an attack on an Ocean City municipal bus driver last June pleaded guilty this week and now awaits his fate pending a pre-sentence investigation.
Jaleel Henderson, 18, of York, Pa., pleaded guilty this week in Worcester County Circuit Court to robbery and a pre-sentence investigation was ordered. Sentencing has been set for May 1. There is some precedent for sentencing, however. Henderson’s co-conspirators in the bus driver attack, including Marquez Ellis, 19; and Josiah Mincer, 18, both of York, each pleaded guilty to robbery in December for their roles in the incident and each sentenced to three years. Each of the co-defendants was ordered to pay their share of $4,916 in restitution to the Town of Ocean City.
Around 1 a.m. last June 14, the three suspects allegedly got into a verbal altercation with a municipal bus driver after passengers were picked up along Baltimore Ave. near Worcester Street. According to sources, the dispute began when the suspects did not have exact change and the bus driver informed them they could not ride without the exact $3 fare per passenger.
A short time later, Ocean City Communications informed OCPD officers in the area an assault had occurred on a municipal bus. OCPD officer arrived on the scene and observed three suspects believed to be Ellis, Mincer and Henderson running from the bus. Numerous witnesses and bystanders pointed at the three suspects running from the scene, according to police reports.
Ocean City EMS arrived on the scene and began treatment on the injured bus driver, who had cuts on his face and head and a large amount of bleeding. The responding officer reported the injuries sustained by the bus driver were the results of one of the suspects striking the victim with an unidentified weapon, which was later identified as the microphone bus driver’s use to communicate with each other. According to police reports, the driver as very disoriented and had to be taken by ambulance to AGH and at one point had trouble breathing. The driver was released from the hospital later the following morning.
Meanwhile, the responding OCPD officers observed one of the suspects, later identified as Ellis running through the property of the Atlantic Hotel. Ellis reportedly ran through a narrow passageway and through the property pursued by OCPD officers, who on several occasions ordered him to stop and go to the ground. Ellis failed to comply and sprinted west through the Somerset Street Plaza. The officer observed 40-60 people in and around the Somerset Street Plaza stop and look at Ellis with looks of disgust on their faces, according to police reports. Most in the area stopped and remained motionless and continued to point at the suspect.
OCPD officers at one point observed the two other suspects, presumably Mincer and Henderson, running with Ellis before splitting up and going in different directions. Ellis continued to run north on Baltimore Ave. with police in pursuit ordering him to stop and get on the ground. At one point, Ellis ran through traffic on Baltimore Ave. and several vehicles pulled over and stopped to avoid hitting him. Finally, in the area of Dorchester Street, Ellis finally went to his knees and gave up. Ellis was taken into custody and in his possession was found a single dollar bill and a bus ticket believed to have been stolen during the assault on the driver.
Arrested Twice In Nine Hours
OCEAN CITY — An Ocean City woman was arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated twice in the same day last week.
Shortly after 2 a.m. last Wednesday, an Ocean City Police officer on patrol in the area of 28th Street observed a vehicle nearly drive through a red light before coming to a stop with its rear wheels on the white line marking the intersection and on top of the crosswalk. The officer initiated a traffic stop and made contact with the driver, later identified as Maryann Muscente, 25, of Ocean City.
According to police reports, the officer detected the strong odor of alcohol coming from the vehicle and said Muscente was fixated on her steering wheel like a statue and refused to look at the officer. The officer asked Muscente what she had to drink and she responded someone had spilled alcohol on her. The officer noted the vehicle had New Jersey tags and Muscente had no license in Maryland despite having a local address, in violation of state transportation laws.
The officer had Muscente submit to battery of field sobriety tests, which she did not complete satisfactorily. Muscente was arrested for driving while impaired and driving without a license. According to police reports, she was taken to the Public Safety Building for processing, but not before she refused to cooperate, refused to keep her seatbelt fastened and refused to open her mouth. Once at the Public Safety Building, Muscente refused to stay seated and had to be chained to a wall. She also threw her paperwork on the floor, resisted handcuffing and was uncooperative, according to police reports.
Around 11:24 a.m. the same day, or roughly nine hours after her initial arrest, Muscente was again arrested after retrieving her vehicle from the OCPD impound lot and driving less than 12 hours after a DUI arrest. An OCPD officer observed Muscente retrieve her vehicle and drive out of the impound lot and down Coastal Highway. Adding insult to injury, she was reportedly using her cell phone while driving.
The officer pulled Muscente over in the area of 64th Street. The officer informed her she was in violation of driving less than 12 hours after a DUI arrest. Muscente said she did not know she was not allowed to drive less than 12 hours after being arrested for DUI. However, the officer told her the Court Commissioner had advised her, as did the records technician in the Public Safety Building and the impound lot attendant.
Mobile Home Vandals Sought
OCEAN VIEW — Delaware State Police this week are seeking the public’s help in identifying the suspect or suspects wanted in connection with a vandalism spree at the Bayshore Mobile Home Park in Ocean View last week.
The incidents took place sometime between 10 a.m. last Tuesday and 1:30 p.m. last Wednesday. The suspect or suspects shattered glass doors and windows on 26 separate residences within the mobile home park. The suspects then entered the unoccupied seasonal homes, but no merchandize was taken. The total damage to the 26 homes is estimated at $9,000.
Anyone with information is urged to contact DSP Det. J. Rowley at 302-856-5850.Information may also be provided by calling Delaware Crime Stoppers at 1-8900-TIP-3333.