SNOW HILL — A local man, arrested in December after allegedly threatening to kill a former Ocean City Council candidate with a hammer in an incident when he was nearly tased by resort police, pleaded guilty last week to resisting arrest and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
Around 5:45 p.m. last Dec. 18, an OCPD officer was dispatched to a residence on Gulf Stream Drive for a reported potential psychiatric issue. The officer was advised before arrival on the scene a suspect, later identified as George Campbell, 57, of Ocean City, was threatening former Ocean City Council candidate Joseph Cryer and that Campbell was acting extremely irrational and was in possession of a blunt object.
As the officer arrived, Campbell was exiting the residence. The officer identified himself and observed Campbell with his right hand in his pants pocket. When Campbell did not remove his hand from his pocket as instructed, the officer drew his Taser and pointed it at the suspect. The officer kept the Taser trained on Campbell as the suspect started walking down the steps toward him. Campbell refused orders to sit down on the driveway and continued walking toward the officer, who kept the Taser ready.
Back-up officers arrived on the scene and attempted to pull Campbell away from the initial officer, but Campbell resisted and fought with the arresting officers. After a struggle, Campbell was brought under control with a violent prisoner restraining device. Campbell continued to resist and shouted at officers remarks such as “I’m going to hunt you and your family down and kill you,” and “if you take me to jail [expletive deleted], I’m going to track you down and kill you,” according to police reports.
The initial officer went inside the residence to speak with Cryer, who told police Campbell had arrived earlier in the evening apparently intoxicated. Cryer told police Campbell had said he had been at a resort bar and had been kicked out. Cryer told police Campbell had become aggressive and started pushing him around and threatening him. He said Campbell broke things around his residence including the shelves on his freezer door and the window in his screen door and also threw several bottles of wine at a window.
Cryer told police he was able to take control of Campbell and pull him to the ground. After it appeared Campbell had calmed down, Cryer let him back up, at which time he allegedly went to a kitchen drawer and picked up a hammer. Cryer told police Campbell started hitting the hammer on the counter and threatened Cryer, allegedly stating “If the police don’t lock me up, I’m going to kill you.” Cryer was able to knock the hammer from Campbell’s hand, at which point the police arrived.
Campbell was charged with first- and second-degree assault, malicious destruction and resisting arrest. Last week, he pleaded guilty to resisting arrest and was sentenced to 30 days in jail.
One Month For Burglary
SNOW HILL — An Alexandria, Va. man, arrested last June after getting caught in a midtown apartment attempting to steal electronics, pleaded guilty last week to fourth-degree burglary and was sentenced to a year in jail, all but one month of which was suspended.
Around 2:30 a.m. last June 2, an OCPD officer responded to the Maui Apartments on 49th Street for a reported burglary that had just occurred. The officer met with two witnesses, who told police they had rented units 101 and 102 for themselves and their friends. The witnesses said they were staying in 102 and their friends, who were not yet home, were staying in 101.
The witnesses told police when they looked outside for a pizza delivery, they saw an unidentified man standing in the doorway of the sliding glass door to unit 101. When the witnesses yelled to the man, the suspect jumped over the balcony to the patio and fled on foot. One witness told police the suspect was holding a pair of sunglasses belonging to his friend, but dropped the sunglasses and walked away through the parking lot.
Another witness heard the yelling and walked to the neighboring unit to find a different suspect, identified later as Tomas Camara, 25, of Alexandria, Va., holding a blue tooth speaker in his hand. The witness yelled to Camara, who allegedly told the witness he had merely entered the open unit to use the bathroom, although he stated in a slightly more colorful terms.
Camara was told to leave and walked across the parking lot in the same direction as the first suspect. The witnesses said they saw a white Ford Mustang leaving the area where the suspects had last been seen. A description of the vehicle was broadcast and it was stopped in the area of 114th Street about 10 minutes later. The witnesses were brought to 114th Street to identify the suspects, but the occupants of the Mustang did not match the description of the suspects.
Meanwhile, two individuals, including Camara, were seen walking by on the sidewalk in the area where the Mustang was stopped. Camara was detained and read his rights before agreeing to speak with the officers. Camara said he had left a bar and was invited to come up to a second-floor unit at the Maui Apartments, but had not been allowed inside.
Camara said he was walking back downstairs when he saw the open unit 101 and realized he had to use the facilities, so he went inside and “took a [expletive deleted].” He told police he did enter unit 101, but only to use the bathroom. He said he did not attempt to take anything. Camara also said he was friends with the occupants of the Mustang, but did not ride with them and instead walked from 49th Street to 114th Street. Camara was ultimately arrested and charged with first- and fourth-degree burglary and theft under $100.
Last week, Camara pleaded guilty to fourth-degree burglary and was sentenced to one year, all but one month of which was then suspended. He was also placed on probation for 18 months and fined $500.
Public’s Help Sought In Shooting
SALISBURY — Salisbury Police this week are looking for the suspect wanted in connection with a shooting in downtown public park on Monday evening.
Around 7 p.m. on Monday, the Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office met with the victim of an apparent shooting, who indicated he had sustained a gunshot wound to his lower extremity. The combined investigation by the Sheriff’s Office and Salisbury Police revealed the victim was uncertain of the exact chain of events.
The victim said he was walking through the Lake Street playground toward Booth Street. He reported hearing multiple gunshots as he was crossing through the park, which caused him to run toward Collins Street. The victim reported he was struck one time in the leg as he ran. The victim was treated to PRMC where he was subsequently treated and released.
Salisbury Police this week are looking for witnesses who were in the area of the Lake Street playground and the neighborhoods near Booth Street during the time of the incident. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Salisbury PD at (410) 548-3113 or Crime Solvers at (410) 548-1776.
Guilty Plea In Resort Theft Scheme
SNOW HILL — A Pittsville man arrested last September after Ocean City Police were able to connect him to a series of thefts of building materials and scrap metal pleaded guilty this week to theft scheme and was sentenced to three years in jail, all but six months of which was then suspended.
Last September, the OCPD Criminal Investigation Division concluded an investigation into the theft of building materials and scrap metal with the arrests of Melvin James Collins, Jr., 25, of Pittsville, and Kenneth James Armitage, 23, of Ocean City. The thefts, totaling roughly $3,000, occurred in the resort area between September 18 and September 23.
OCPD detectives were able to connect Collins and Armitage to the thefts through electronic surveillance. Detectives then conducted surveillance on the suspects and observed Collins and Armitage commit a separate theft outside Ocean City and unload the stolen items from that theft at Armitage’s resort residence.
A search and seizure warrant was later executed at Armitage’s residence, where detectives located numerous stolen items. Collins and Armitage were charged with three counts of theft and one count of theft scheme. On Monday, Collins pleaded guilty to theft scheme from $1,000 to under $10,000 and was sentenced to three years in jail. All but six months of the sentence was then suspended and Collins was placed on probation for three years upon his release and fined $500. In October, Armitage pleaded guilty to theft scheme from $1,000 to under $10,000 and was sentenced to five years, all but 33 days of which were then suspended, which is the time he served awaiting trial.
Fatal Shooting
SALISBURY — An armed Salisbury man was shot and killed in an officer-involved shooting during an apparent scrap over a loaded gun with a Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputy early Tuesday morning.
The investigation revealed around 1:45 a.m. on Tuesday, a Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputy was patrolling in the area of Dennis Street in Salisbury when he observed two individuals walking on the street near East Rd. Wicomico County Sheriff’s Deputies had been warned on Monday about threats being made to “shoot up” a house on Olivia Street, which is one block over from where the deputies observed two men walking early Tuesday morning. Residents in the area had also recently contacted the Sheriff’s Office requesting increased patrols in the area due to the threat of violence.
Early Tuesday, the deputy stopped and attempted to conduct a brief interview with the two individuals walking down the street.
When the deputy called to the men, one of them stopped, but the other, identified as Fednel Rhinvil, 25, of Salisbury, continued walking. The deputy repeated his request to stop and Rhinvil began running. The deputy pursued on foot and caught Rhinvil as he scaled a fence.
The investigation indicated a fight ensued and the deputy was pinned on the ground on his back. As he struggled to escape, the deputy saw Rhinvil pull a handgun from his pocket. Fearing for his own life, the deputy pulled his department-issued .45 caliber Glock pistol and shot Rhinvil. Emergency medical services personnel responded, but Rhinvil was pronounced dead at the scene.
It is not believed Rhinvil fired his gun, according to a Maryland State Police report on the incident. Investigators recovered a loaded and cocked revolver from the scene. It was forwarded to the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division for investigation and analysis. Rhinvil’s body has been transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Baltimore for an autopsy.
The Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office deputy has been identified as Deputy-First Class Benjamin Jones, 35, who is a 14-year veteran of the department. Jones sustained an injury to his hand during the fight with Rhinvil. He was treated at PRMC and released. Sheriff Mike Lewis has placed the deputy on routine administrative leave, as is the procedure.
He will be asking the Maryland State Police Internal Affairs Unit to conduct a concurrent investigation into the police-involved shooting. Assistance is being provided by the State Police Criminal Enforcement Division, the Salisbury Police, the Wicomico State’s Attorney’s Office and the Wicomico Bureau of Investigation.